Markey battling for immigration bill
Despite a lack of support, the state’s junior senator has joined forces with several reps in resubmitting the New Deal for New Americans Act.
“It’s an absolutely critical piece of legislation,” U.S. Sen. Ed Markey said.
The bill, Markey and several other members of Congress said, aims to assist immigrants and refugees in overcoming language barriers, finding employment, and breaking down obstacles to legal citizenship.
The bill would also increase cooperation between federal, state, and local agencies to support the integration of immigrants into their new communities. The proposal would establish a “National Office of New Americans” in the executive branch to coordinate those efforts.
It would also raise the refugee cap, exempt immigrant graduates of U.S. high schools from naturalization exams, establish flat application fees for naturalization, and prevent the fees from changing without congressional approval, according to Markey’s office.
“The United States is a nation of immigrants,” Markey said. “We have a responsibility to welcome them and to ensure that they have the opportunity and resources to thrive and not just survive in the United States. It is finally time that we reform our immigration system in a way that centers humanity and hope and prioritizes dignity and self-determination.”
The bill is co-sponsored in the House by New York Rep. Grace Meng. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is also a co-sponsor.
This is not the first Congress to see Markey’s plan to fix the immigration system. The bill was also introduced in 2019 and in 2021, when Democrats controlled both chambers. The proposal was never advanced.
Now that Republicans have control over the lower chamber, Markey acknowledges that there is a lot of work to do to get them thinking about ways to fix immigration beyond walls and stricter law enforcement.
“It’s been a decade since Republicans last came to the table with
Democrats to fix our broken immigration system. The New Deal for New Americans Act is our opportunity to renew the fight for a more equitable and just system, one where immigrant and refugee families are treated with dignity and given the resources and support they need,” Markey said
“I’m ready and willing to work with my Republican colleagues on comprehensive immigration reform, including this important legislation,” he continued.
According to Nicole Melaku, executive director of the National Partnership for New Americans, her organization is actively working to recruit Republican support in the 118th Congress.
“We are reaching out to a number of congressional Republican offices across the country,” she said. “This includes Republicans that have historically supported facilitating a path to citizenship for nine million immigrants who are eligible for naturalization.”