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Statement

A Simple Solution: Congress Should Update the Registry’s Immigration Provision Now

July 20, 2022
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Claudia Tristán, Immigration Campaign Director, MomsRising / MamásConPoder, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the introduction of the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 in the U.S. House of Representatives today:

“America’s moms want lawmakers to stop using the immigration issue to score political points, stop refusing to adopt solutions, and begin taking constructive steps that will make our communities, our economy and our country stronger. The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives today by Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Norma Torres (D-CA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Adriano Espaillait (D-NY), Lou Correa (D-CA), and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL), would do just that.

“Since it was created in 1929, the Registry has permitted certain immigrants who had been continuously present in the United States since June 3, 1921, to apply for permanent residency. Since then, the cutoff date for eligibility for the Registry has been modified several times, most recently in 1986 – during the Reagan era – when it was updated to January 1, 1972. It’s past time for the next update, which the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 would require. Its passage can help normalize our immigration system and make some 8 million people who have contributed to this country for years eligible for green cards.

“The Registry’s eligibility date needs to be updated again. We urge both chambers of Congress to pass this bill quickly. It’s a simple solution that will make a big difference. America’s moms want every immigrant and every asylum-seeker to be treated with compassion, dignity and respect.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.