LULAC Opposes Senate Immigration Compromise - Punitive proposal would exploit temporary workers, separate families and institute draconian enforcement measures without offering a meaningful legal pathway for immigrants.

“The League of United Latin American Citizens National Board of Directors has voted unanimously to oppose the Senate immigration compromise finding the bill unacceptable in its current form. The LULAC Board cited the imposition of a temporary worker program without a meaningful pathway to permanent legal residence, the elimination of four out of five family-based green card categories, and the implementation of an untested “merit-based” point system in place of our current employment-based immigration system as unacceptable components of the proposal.

“The Senate compromise is a radical departure from our current system that is rooted in family and employment-based immigration,” stated Rosa Rosales, LULAC National President. “If enacted, the temporary worker provision alone would create a new underclass of easily exploited workers who would be forbidden from realizing the American Dream. This bill will dehumanize workers, short-change employers and lead to wide-spread undocumented immigration as many workers inevitably overstay their visas rather than return home.”

LULAC has consistently advocated for comprehensive immigration reform that unites families, allows hardworking immigrants already here to earn their way to permanent residence, and allows future workers to immigrate legally to the United States. While the Senate compromise does provide a chance for undocumented workers to earn permanent residence and includes the DREAM Act and AgJOBS, the bill falls woefully short at reuniting families and fixing our broken immigration system with a legal pathway for future immigrant workers.

“LULAC cannot support a bill that will separate families and lead to the exploitation of immigrant workers while resulting in widespread undocumented immigration in the future,” stated Brent Wilkes, LULAC National Executive Director. “We will continue to urge Congress to enact fair and just immigration reform that unites families, protect human rights, creates an avenue for undocumented immigrants to legalize their status and allows future workers to come in legally while providing a pathway to permanent legal residency if they want to stay.”

The League of the United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic membership organization in the country, advances the economic conditions, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide”

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