From Moms Rising (https://www.momsrising.org/):
Did you know nearly 23 million immigrants have put their lives on the line in essential roles since the start of the pandemic? And over 5 million are undocumented. [1] Immigrants took on vital roles that helped keep our children and families healthy, and keep our child care, health care system, long-term care, food supply chain, and our economy running. Without their hard work we wouldn’t be recovering now.
Right now, we have an opportunity to show appreciation for immigrant essential workers. Tell your members of Congress to support permanent protections for long standing immigrants in this country and support the registry bill at https://action.momsrising.org/sign/Renew_Registry_Bill_Immigration!
What’s happening??? Currently, there’s a bill in the U.S. House that could help permanently protect some of our nation’s immigrants and get us one step closer toward rebuilding our nation’s care infrastructure. The registry bill would update a law already in the books since 1929 and that’s been repeatedly updated over the years! Currently a person must have entered the U.S. before 1972 to qualify for the permanent protections of a green card. Unfortunately, the existing law hasn’t been updated since 1986, so it’s pretty much obsolete at this point. But the registry bill could change that and provide protections for those who arrived prior to 2010.
Supporting permanent protections for immigrants is a key step toward rebuilding our economy and our care infrastructure. Since the start of the pandemic, the decline in mothers’ labor force participation has been nearly double that of fathers’ and one out of four women who reported becoming unemployed during the pandemic said it was because of a lack of child care—twice the rate among men. [2] The U.S. child care industry has long relied on immigrants where they make up nearly 18 percent of childcare workers and 10 percent of K-12 workers nationwide! [3] Where would we be without the immense support of frontline immigrant workers?
The registry bill only applies to individuals who have set down roots here—those who have lived and worked in service to our communities for more than 11 years and meet other certain requirements. A single update to the registry would offer a form of universal relief to DREAMers, TPS-holders, and other long-time community members who have shown up day-after-day for our families and our communities. Creating permanent protections for immigrant essential workers, Dreamers, and TPS holders is part of lifting up the child care support and jobs that will enable many women to return to the workforce.
Don’t forget to add your name! When you click, you can sign on to our letter that reads:
Members of Congress:
Immigrants have played a critical role throughout the pandemic and we know they will continue to play a critical role in our continued COVID recovery, particularly in our care infrastructure. We know nearly 23 million immigrants have put their lives on the line in essential roles that keep our children and families healthy, and keep our child care, health care system, long-term care, food supply chain, and our economy running.
Updating the registry would give immigrant essential workers, Dreamers and TPS holders access to permanent protections to remain in this country. America’s Moms know this is an important step toward rebuilding our nation’s care infrastructure. Immigrants comprise 40 percent of home care workers and 18 percent of child care workers in the U.S. With child care and elder care chronically understaffed, creating legal protections for immigrants is a critical part of ensuring parents can work and decreasing labor shortages that are driving inflation. With mothers stepping out of the labor force at a higher rate than fathers, it’s clear that to support their return to the workforce we must support child care and elder care.
Please support all efforts to protect immigrant families who have tirelessly worked to support our communities throughout the pandemic. Renewing registry not only helps immigrant parents and children, but all families across the country who rely on our immigrant workforce.
The more people who speak out, the bigger our impact. Please take a moment to forward our action link to your friends and family and share it on social media: https://action.momsrising.org/sign/Renew_Registry_Bill_Immigration
Together we are a powerful voice for the wellbeing of immigrant children and parents.
[1] Immigrant Essential Workers are Crucial to America’s COVID-19 Recovery [2] How COVID-19 Sent Women’s Workforce Progress Backward [3] New American Economy: Immigrants Working in Education During Covid-19 Crisis
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