CAPAC Chair Chu Joins Congressional Leaders to Champion Biden-Harris Immigration Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), announced that she will be among the select group of House members who have been tapped to shepherd the landmark Biden-Harris immigration reform legislation through the House of Representatives. The group, known as the Closers, include Reps. Chu, Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Karen Bass (CA-37).
The Biden-Harris immigration proposal will create a pathway to citizenship for millions of aspiring Americans, including Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients. The bill also contains several CAPAC priorities that Congresswoman Chu has authored and championed in the House of Representatives over the past several years. This includes Rep. Chu’s bill, the NO BAN Act, which rescinds the Muslim Ban and ensures that no future Presidents can ban individuals from entering the country based on their religion. The Biden-Harris bill also aims to strengthen the family-based immigration system through which many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have immigrated to this country and includes provisions from Rep. Chu’s Reuniting Families Act, which reduces visa backlogs to provide humane and timely reunifications, provides equality for LGBTQ families, increases the number of diversity visas, and improves our overall immigration system. The Biden-Harris proposal also includes Rep. Chu’s POWER Act, which helps to create safe and just workplaces by providing legal protection for immigrant workers who experience retaliation for exercising their rights under existing labor and employment laws. CAPAC Chair Judy Chu released the following statement:
“The Biden-Harris immigration bill is the framework we need to finally transform our broken immigration system, and I am honored to be among the Members of Congress championing this effort in the House of Representative. For the past four years, immigrants have lived in the shadow of the Trump Administration and endured cruel policies like the Muslim Ban, which had nothing to do with national security and everything to do with discrimination based on religion. The Biden-Harris immigration bill includes the NO BAN Act to end this cruel policy and prevent future administrations from banning groups of people based on religion ever again. “But our immigration system was broken even before Trump weaponized it to scapegoat and intimidate immigrants, and so this bill goes a step further. It also transforms our immigration system into one that is best for our country and our economy. The package includes provisions from my bill, the Reuniting Families Act, to reduce employment and family-based visa backlogs and create a more inclusive definition of family members so more families can be reunited in a shorter time frame. Thanks to our family immigration system, many new immigrants can rely on their parents to help raise their kids while they hold down a job, or can find financing for their business through their family when a bank says no.
“Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that immigrants make up a significant portion of essential frontline workers in industries like healthcare and agriculture. But, despite how much we depend on immigrant workers, some unscrupulous employers seek to exploit them, making them work extreme hours in difficult and dangerous conditions. That is why the inclusion of my bill, the POWER Act, which protects immigrants who report unfair labor practices, is key to ensuring immigrants are treated with dignity and respect in the workplace.
“I am thrilled to join The Closers, who have proven records of fighting for immigrant communities and delivering results. I am honored to work with the Biden-Harris administration to advocate for provisions that I have worked for years to build support and momentum around, and to push for passage of this comprehensive proposal, which also includes critical relief for our DREAMERS and TPS recipients, as well as a pathway to citizenship that we so desperately need.”
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The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is comprised of Members of Congress of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and Members who have a strong dedication to promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Currently chaired by Congresswoman Judy Chu, CAPAC has been addressing the needs of the AAPI community in all areas of American life since it was founded in 1994.