FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 16, 2021
Media Contact: press@wearehome.us

We Are Home Campaign Responds to Parliamentarian Opinion: “The Parliamentarian is Not Elected and Must Be Ignored”

Washington, D.C. – Tonight, the Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled against including deportation relief and work permits in the Build Back Better bill weeks after Senate Democrats made their case to include the popular provisions that would benefit millions of people.

Bridgette Gomez, campaign director for We Are Home, said:  

“We are outraged. An unelected staff member must not be the obstacle that stands in the way of relief for millions of immigrants. The task ahead for Senate Democrats is clear: disregard the parlamentarian’s opinion, include a registry update in the Senate bill, and deliver for the people that elected you. Democrats were elected to improve people’s lives, chart a progressive vision for our country, and they still have a chance at ensuring that immigrants, who have kept our country going forward amid the pandemic, are protected from deportation.”

“Telling voters that they tried, but an unelected staff person stood in the way is not enough. The American people support citizenship for immigrants, and we can’t wait any longer.”

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We Are Home is a nationwide campaign to fight for immigrant communities on three fronts: prioritizing and demanding a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in America; a moratorium and overhaul of interior enforcement; and broad affirmative relief from deportation. We Are Home is co-chaired by Community Change/Community Change Action; National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA)/Care in Action; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); United Farm Workers/UFW Foundation; and United We Dream.