March 30, 2021 - Immigration Reform Events Update |
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March 31 Womens History and Immigration Update with Rep. Deb Ross
(Refer to section below for details)
New American Economy Immigration Updates with Senator Tillis and Senator Burr
(Refer to section below for details)
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President Biden pledges that 90% of all adults will be able to get Vaccine by Apr 19 and 90% of all Americans will be able to get a Vaccine within 5 miles of where they live!
North Carolina: 35.5% of Adult Population Partially Vaccinates/ 22% of Adult Population Fully Vaccinated
North Carolina has had 12,087 Covid 19 Deaths.
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Wake County Administers 100,000th Dose Vaccines yesterday!
Johnston County Schools Will Stop Covid 19 Screenings Before Schools.
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I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of the Physicians a Very Happy Doctors Day! Thanks for all of your work and commitment to your patients and for serving our nation during this pandemic war we are all fighting.
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Wake County Virtual Academy Deadline Reminder |
Wake County Virtual Academy Deadline is April 1.
Wake County parents must now decide if they want their children to take all in person classes the last two months of the school year or the all on line classes
(If you are in Virtual Academy, then you do not need to re-apply)
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George Floyd Trial continues in second day.
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March 31 Womens History and Immigration Update with Rep. Deb Ross |
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On the last day of Woman’s History Month, we look forward to hearing from one of the most dynamic Woman leaders in our state, Deborah Ross, who represents North Carolina in the 2nd Congressional District. She will update us on the Immigration Bills in Congress, the crisis at the Border, and the path to citizenship for skilled immigrants.
Congresswoman Ross will be joined by Jeremy Robbins, Executive Director of the New American Economy for this Virtual Immigration Town Hall, which will be aired on Radio Nyra as well. 99.9 FM, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
Webinar starts at 8:45am EDT.
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New American Economy Immigration Updates with Senator Tillis and Senator Burr |
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Time for Reform is now!:
Last week, on behalf of the New American Economy, I spent time with Senator Tillis and Senator Burr’s offices on the recent Immigration issues on the Border, discussed the Farmwork Modernization and Promise Act, and addressed the urgent need for passing skilled based immigration reform legislation, which is addressed in the 2021 US Citizenship Act. (H1B, and green card backlog)
Based on my conversations with the both Senate Offices, it does not seem as if Skilled Immigration Reform and addressing the Green Card Backlog is a high priority at this time as most of the focus is on the Border issues. It also does not appear if the Biden Immigration Act has a chance to get through the Senate, and this bill would have eliminated the per country cap, allowed HB4 spouses to work, and allowed for education based exemptions for STEM Graduates. I am very concerned that we need to speak up on this issue now! The competitiveness of the American Economy depends on this! We want the next Google, Zoom, Slack, Tesla, to be founded in the United States of America!
Please email me a sr@steverao.com or sign this On Line Petition so we can show our Senators and Congress that we need to accelerate the Path to Citizenship for H1 B Skilled Immigrants. Also, please contact both Senator Tillis and Senator Burr’s offices to express your support of this type of immigration reform. |
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BROADER IMMIGRATION REFORM NEEDS. TIME IS NOW!
- We want to use the momentum around the bipartisan DREAM Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act (both just passed the House) to urge Senators Tillis and Burr to seriously engage in conversations around broader immigration reform, with the goal of getting something passed into law this year.
- The DREAM Act would provide a path to citizenship for North Carolina’s Dreamers, many of whom are essential workers -- nurses, health aides, teachers and more
- The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would create an earned path to legalization for farmworkers, streamline the H-2A visa process, and reform and mandate E-Verify
There are 2 complementary and parallel legislative efforts that are set to begin in the weeks ahead:
- An effort to pass a bipartisan bill authored by Sens. Durbin (D-IL) and Graham (R-SC), entitled The Dream Act of 2021, was introduced in Congress and would provide Dreamers with the opportunity to apply for lawful permanent resident status and eventually citizenship, if they meet certain requirements.
- An effort to reintroduce and pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act through the House before April, potentially broadening support for reforms in the Senate.
With passage of the Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act expected this week in the House
, engaging Senate Republicans and moderate Democrats on these two bills now will be crucial in the fight for broader immigration reform.
The only way this happens is with bipartisan cooperation:
Immigration reform will require the new administration and Congress to cooperate in a bipartisan manner. We are eager to work together on this urgent, national imperative to build an immigration system that works for U.S. families, grows our economy, and strengthens communities.
- 77% of Americans believe that immigration is good for the country.
- 78% believe DACA recipients should be able to remain in America.
- A Fox News Election Day poll found 71% support for legalization for the undocumented
The time to act is now:
- The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated how crucial immigrants are to the American economy, and that includes those who are undocumented.
- These two bills would provide a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants who are serving on the front lines in healthcare, food service, and other essential industries.
- The growing crisis at the border is not something to ignore — we need broader immigration reform that addresses the need for smart border security and asylum policies. That’s why we hope these bills are the start of a broader conversation about reform.
- But the border situation doesn’t change the fact that these bills give much needed relief for immigrants who are already essential and contributing members not only to their communities, but also to the fight against COVID-19.
Dreamers and DACA Recipients (DREAM Act)
The roughly 2.3 million Dreamers — including approximately 700,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients — are an integral part of our work, faith, and social communities. They deserve a long-term solution that provides them with a stable future and the freedom to continue to thrive and fully contribute to our nation. Congress must act urgently to pass the bipartisan DREAM Act and provide a permanent legislative solution for Dreamers.
- Business & Economic Case:
- Dreamers strengthen our economy and communities as computer scientists, nurses, teachers, construction workers, and military veterans
- There are approximately 32,920 DACA-eligible immigrants in North Carolina
- They hold $532.6M in spending power and pay $138.9M in taxes each year
- COVID-19 Case:
- More than 500,000 DACA-eligible individuals across the country are essential workers, with 62,000 working in healthcare alone (nurses, home health aides, etc.)
- 12,800 DACA recipients work in the farming and agriculture industry—with the vast majority as agricultural laborers.
- Across the United States, 14,900 DACA recipients are among the hundreds of thousands of teachers who have pivoted from the physical to the digital classroom.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a humanitarian program that responds to ongoing global and regional challenges by allowing individuals to remain in the United States due to unsafe or unstable conditions in their home countries. TPS currently protects around 330,000 people in the U.S. from 10 countries who would otherwise be subjected to disease, violence, starvation, the aftermath of natural disasters, and other life-threatening conditions. Congress must also find a pathway to permanent residency or U.S. citizenship for immigrants with TPS.
- Business & Economic Case:
- There are approximately 16,535 TPS holders in North Carolina.
- About 27,000 TPS holders are business owners.
- If all 300,000 TPS holders were required to leave the U.S., employers would lose over $1 billion in turnover costs, the GDP would lose $45-$164 billion.
- COVID-19 Case:
- Over 130,000 TPS holders are essential workers who have been vital in the pandemic, in healthcare, construction, education, and across the food supply chain.
- An estimated 11,600 health care workers today are TPS holders.
Agriculture and Farm Workers (Farm Workforce Modernization Act)
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act creates a workforce solution for America’s agriculture industry by providing stability, predictability, and fairness to one of the most critical sectors of our nation’s economy. The bill will establish a program for agricultural workers in the United States to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment and contribution to the U.S. agricultural economy. The agricultural industry needs a bipartisan immigration solution from Congress that offers a stable, legal workforce in agriculture.
- Business & Economic Case:
- The majority of the nation’s 2.4 million farmworkers are undocumented immigrants
- Undocumented farmworkers contribute $9 billion each yr to the fruit/veg industry
- Farmers report labor shortages as the #1 limiting factor on their farms.
- Every farmworker in labor intensive crop and livestock produces 2-3 off-farm jobs.
- COVID-19 Case:
- In North Carolina, nearly 1 in 3 (32.2%) crop production workers and more than half (52.2%) other agricultural workers are foreign-born.
- Farmworkers are especially at risk of falling ill from COVID-19 as they often work in challenging conditions with no room to self-isolate at home.
- Despite being essential to the U.S. food supply chain, undocumented farmworkers do not qualify for assistance in the COVID-19 aid packages and can’t seek UI.
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Sincerely,
Council Member Steve Rao
Town of Morrisville
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