Lou Correa Urges Pathway to Citizenship for Essential Workers, TPS Holders, and Dreamers To Be Included In COVID-19 Relief Legislation

Press Release

On Saturday, Congressman Lou Correa joined over 100 Democratic lawmakers in sending a letter led by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to express their commitment to including a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, essential workers, and TPS holders, in the COVID-19 budget reconciliation package.

Rep. Lou Correa said, "All across the country, immigrants are serving on the frontlines of the pandemic. As Congress looks to pass new legislation to help struggling families, we must extend a helping hand to our new Americans and create a pathway to citizenship for the millions trapped in a failed immigration system. Hardworking and taxpaying immigrants prove themselves invaluable every day. We owe them the chance to live in peace and join us as Americans."

In the letter, Members said, "We, the undersigned members, respectfully request that you include a pathway to citizenship for essential immigrant workers and their families, Dreamers, and TPS holders in the COVID-19 reconciliation recovery package given that essential immigrant workers have been, and will continue to be, key to the health and safety of all Americans during the pandemic and will be critical for the economic recovery of the country.

"As we continue to confront a public health and economic catastrophe that will soon have claimed the lives of more than 450,000 Americans exacerbated deep racial, gender, and economic inequities, it is vital that we include protections for immigrant workers to secure the health of our nation and lay the foundation for a robust and dynamic economic recovery."

The letter was led by CHC Chairman Raul Ruiz, M.D., and signed by these 100 Members of Congress: Alma S. Adams, Ph.D, Pete Aguilar, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Karen Bass, Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Jamaal Bowman, Ed. D., Anthony G. Brown, Julia Brownley, Cori Bush, Salud Carbajal, Tony Cárdenas, André Carson, Joaquin Castro, Judy Chu, David N. Cicilline, Yvette D. Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver, II, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Gerald E. Connolly, Jim Cooper, Lou Correa, Jim Costa, Jason Crow, Henry Cuellar, Danny K. Davis, Rosa L. De. Lauro, Mark DeSaulnier, Mike Doyle, Veronica Escobar, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Ruben Gallego, Jesús G. "Chuy" Garcia, Sylvia R. Garcia, Jimmy Gomez, Vicente Gonzalez, Raúl M. Grijalva, Alcee L. Hastings, Steven Horsford, Sheila Jackson Lee, Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr., Mondaire Jones, Ro Khanna, Ann Kirkpatrick, John B. Larson, Barbara Lee, Teresa Leger Fernández, Andy Levin, Mike Levin, Ted W. Lieu, Zoe Lofgren, Alan Lowenthal, Carolyn B. Maloney, Doris Matsui, James P. McGovern, Jerry McNerney, Grace Meng, Gwen Moore, Grace F. Napolitano, Joe Neguse, Marie Newman, Donald Norcross, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Frank Pallone, Jr., Jimmy Panetta, Bill Pascrell, Jr., Donald M. Payne, Jr., Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Mike Quigley, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Bobby L. Rush, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Michael San Nicolas, Linda T. Sánchez, Jan Schakowsky, Albio Sires, Adam Smith, Darren Soto, Greg Stanton, Marilyn Strickland, Mark Takano, Rashida Tlaib, Norma J. Torres, Ritchie Torres, Lori Trahan, David Trone, Juan Vargas, Marc Veasey, Filemon Vela, Nydia M. Velázquez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Peter Welch, and Nikema Williams.

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