The real story behind immigration reform.

We can not overcome the division, the hatred, the bigotry if we do not unite as a collective force for good.

Shame on MAGA Republicans for ginning up hate and not wanting to be a part of the solution

In case you haven't been paying attention, we have a crisis in Congress. 

Back in October, President Biden requested $13.6 billion in emergency funding for border protection, including hiring 1,300 additional Border Patrol agents and 1,600 asylum officers and more funds to counter fentanyl smuggling.¹ Congressional Republicans refused his request.

Additionally, immigration judges face caseloads of more than 4,500 apiece, and Congress refuses to fund the increase for the necessary number of judges to clear cases.²

Biden says he would "shut down the border right now" if given the authorities in the proposal.³ MAGA Republicans are still refusing his request. 

Republican House Leader Mike Johnson has accused Biden and Democrats of trying "to turn all the illegals into voters. ... That's why the border's open."⁴ This is a bold face lie, but Johnson and fellow Republicans are refusing to legislate impactful immigration reform bills. Leader Johnson threatened to withhold support to Ukraine unless border security was a part of the deal. However, months later, Johnson is actively stopping bills from being heard.

Republican James Lankford of Oklahoma was charged with negotiating a border security bill⁵ with Democrats and the White House and succeeded in moving it forward, only to be stonewalled by Republican House Leader Mike Johnson. Being a sycophant to Trump, Leader Johnson caved when Trump intervened. Apparently, according to their cult leader, Trump, America does not have a problem at the border that needs addressing at this time:

Though he (former President Trump) had long demanded that Congress "change our old, broken, ridiculous, weak immigration laws," the former president now panned the very idea, saying "a border deal now would be another gift to the radical left Democrats."⁶

Johnson now contends that President Biden must use his executive power to close the border. That can not happen, and speaker Johnson knows this. Otherwise, President Trump, during his four years in office, would have made that happen. An executive order would be challenged as it should be in the courts.

No one leader should have the power to unilaterally decide to weaponize ICE against people seeking asylum in the United States. "Congress needs to act," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. "They must act. Speaker Johnson and House Republicans should provide the administration with the policy changes and funding needed."⁷

Representative McGovern responded to Republicans refusing to take responsibility: "They think, If they say 'crisis' three times, the crisis goes away." He told Republicans, "Shame on you for ginning up all this hate and all this vitriol and not wanting to be part of the solution."⁸

We can achieve a secure border, humane treatment of asylum seekers and migrants, and reform our immigration system. We need to keep pressuring our lawmakers to do better for our communities.

Here are some People Power United actions we can take in support of immigration reform:

1. We must advocate for bipartisan solutions that involve the humane treatment of asylum seekers and migrants and dignity for all who work and live in our communities.

2. We must advocate for action that "secures our border," and we must advocate for increased funding to do so.

3. Lastly, we must acknowledge the role U.S. policies have played in the exacerbating factors that lead to increased migration of people from Latin America. We must work with global partners to find "long-term, compassionate solutions."

4. Sign the petition: Seeking asylum is a human right

BONUS

Call your Member of Congress (202) 224-3121 and ask them to work towards immigration reform that: 

• Secures the U.S. border.

• Reduces the number of beds in immigration facilities.

• Reforms the legal immigration system to meet U.S. needs better

• Increases funding for enhanced security and technology at ports of entry to better prevent the smuggling of illegal weapons and narcotics, including fentanyl, across the border

• Addresses the root causes of migration from South and Central America through diplomatic relations and humanitarian aid

• Permanently protect DACA and Dreamers

• Increases funding to process immigration applications more efficiently

• Increases funding to process work authorization applications for undocumented immigrants more efficiently

• Increases funding for case management programs that help undocumented immigrants and their families better understand their immigration court obligations

• Hires 1,600 new asylum officers and processing personnel to approximately double the number of officers working on asylum cases and improve the efficiency of the asylum system

• Hires 375 new immigration judges to help process immigration cases

• Eliminates the six-month waiting period for asylum seekers to apply for work authorization.

Thanks for taking action!

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I believe in the power of the people. People Power United members believe in the possibility of change and work to make it happen. I have seen the love and determination of folks stepping up to write letters and postcards to voters, signing petitions and letter campaigns, making calls, sending texts, hitting doors, and dropping literature. There is no power like that of the people, and People Power United stands ready to protect our communities against any and all injustices. - Laurie Woodward Garcia, People Power United

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1. https://fedmanager.com/news/white-house-requests-nearly-14-billion-for-border-security-new-hires 

2. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/27/immigration-court-backlog-grows/72030952007/

3. https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-election-2182fec11fa008ec96c4202e5656d19e

4. https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1524726171421794304

5. https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/gop-negotiator-james-lankford-tries-to-solve-border-rubiks-cube-ac82cd00

6. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/senate-deal-on-border-and-ukraine-at-risk-of-collapse-amid-election-year-pressure

7. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/president-biden-says-hell-shut-the-u-s-mexico-border-if-given-the-ability-what-does-that-mean

8. https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1752389130372194686

Shout out to Data for Progress for sharing their polling on this issue and resources from Congressional Integrity Project.