A trio of Democratic House members, dubbed the “Three Amigos,” known for their staunch advocacy for undocumented immigrants, are now urging the Biden administration to utilize its executive authority in granting legal work permits for this group.
Representatives Jesús “Chuy” García (Ill.), Adriano Espaillat (N.Y.), and Lou Correa (Calif.) are set to deliver a letter to President Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ur Jaddou.
In their letter, they outline the potential actions the administration could take regarding work permits and emphasize the benefits of such measures.
Alejandro Mayorkas (Credits: AP News)
The lawmakers argue that implementing a policy to grant legal work permits would not only benefit immigrant workers but also contribute to the broader economy.
They highlight that such permits would protect immigrants from exploitation, improve working conditions, and potentially increase annual tax revenue by billions of dollars, according to estimates from the American Immigration Council.
Their advocacy stems from concerns about the disparity between newly arrived migrants, who may qualify for work permits through parole programs or asylum applications, and long-term undocumented immigrants who have resided and worked in the United States for extended periods without the ability to obtain work authorization.
While migration patterns in the Western Hemisphere have evolved in recent years, with important changes since 2019, the bulk of the undocumented population—estimated between 10 to 11 million individuals—predates these shifts. Many of these immigrants hail from countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, India, Guatemala, Honduras, and Venezuela.
The lawmakers acknowledge the Biden administration’s efforts to expand work permit access for recent arrivals but stress the need to extend similar opportunities to long-term immigrant communities. They cite the dignity and economic contributions of these individuals, who have waited for relief for years or even decades.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (Credits: ABC News)
Joined by advocacy organizations and local elected officials, the Three Amigos call for the expansion of existing programs, such as parole-in-place for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and work permit eligibility for Dreamers who do not qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
Additionally, they advocate for utilizing the president’s power to grant parole to foreign nationals with clean immigration records.
In their letter, the legislators underscore the consequence of these actions in bolstering the economy and supporting immigrant communities that have long contributed to American society.
They emphasize the valuable role played by long-term undocumented immigrants as workers, taxpayers, consumers, and entrepreneurs, portraying them as integral to the fabric of the nation.
