FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 18th, 2021
Contact: Bethelhem Negash bethelhem@undocublack.org
Washington D.C.-- When we fight, we win! We fought until the final minutes leading up to today’s House vote, and we won! The passage of H.R. 6, The Dream and Promise Act brings with it expansive changes that are crucial for the Black undocumented community, including in Section 1 of the bill, allowing young people who entered at the age of 18 and under to qualify for permanent residency. This is a historic step towards transforming an immigration system that has caused so much harm in our community. It is imperative that the Senate quickly take up this bill which passed with increased bipartisan support along with H.R. 1603, The Farm Workforce Modernization Act and allow for its swift passage into law.
Patrice Lawrence, Co-Director of UndocuBlack Network said:
“In the last Congress, UndocuBlack and Black immigrant partners led by the Liberian Community ushered in the first legalization win in 20 years for 10,000 members of the Liberian Community. With success under our belt and the affirmation that organizing works, we are not accepting talk at the expense of action any longer for the remainder of our undocumented community.
Securing permanent protections for immigrant youth, TPS, and DED holders is a must. As a multi-generational Black undocumented community, we have waited in limbo, faced exploitation, and survived the trauma of being separated from our loved ones and homelands. We have long recognized the need for permanent protection as a critical component of racial justice, and we have been marching the halls of Congress demanding it since 2016. To be truly free means we must dismantle all systems and mechanisms of oppression in deed, policy, and law.”
With The Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6) passed out of the House, the Senate has the opportunity to put solidarity into action. For our community, H.R.6 was never a marker bill meant to exist in name alone. The goal has always been to pass it into law. We urge the Senate to do so by passing H.R.6 into law by summer 2021. We expect nothing less than citizenship for our communities.
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