Citizenship is an Issue of Economic Justice — Budget Reconciliation is How We Finally Address It.
By Philadelphia City Councilmember Helen Gym
Federal inaction on immigration has been a moral failure for our nation — thousands of families separated, children held in detention, immigrant women allegedly forcibly sterilized in a Georgia prison, and all under an American flag. But federal inaction on immigration has also been an issue of economic injustice, lowering labor standards and slowing our economic recovery.
My city is stronger thanks to our immigrant communities. One out of four Philadelphians is either an immigrant or has an immigrant parent; I’m proud to count myself among them. We helped reverse five decades of population decline in Philadelphia for two consecutive census counts. Immigrant workers have been among our strongest partners in expanding labor rights, which has made our economy more stable and secure for everyone. Immigrant neighbors revitalize struggling economic corridors, populate our public schools, and bring culture, vitality, and life to our streets.
And make no mistake, immigrant communities mobilized for elections in 2020 that changed the face of Congress and made our voices heard.
That’s why this week I joined a call with state and local leaders, advocacy organizations like United We Dream along with the voices of more than 700 local elected officials to call on Congress to include immigration in the budget reconciliation package.
More than three decades have passed without a major piece of immigration legislation expanding citizenship - and our nation has suffered as a result.
Immigrants have been cruelly excluded from federal benefits and protections despite the vast majority of immigrants paying significant taxes. Millions of immigrant families were left out of federal COVID relief funding. They were cut out of rental assistance, pushing them toward illegal landlords or eviction. Those who lost their jobs weren’t eligible for unemployment assistance. Nevertheless, immigrant communities helped power our economy through COVID; nearly three in four undocumented immigrant workers classify as“essential workers.”
But they are more than essential workers; they are essential community members. And leaving 15 million people out of federal benefits and relief doesn’t just hurt these families — it holds us back as a society.
Time and again, municipal governments and local partners have been forced to step up and fill these gaps. Philadelphia established a legal defense fund to ensure indigent immigrant families wouldn’t face a deportation trial without a lawyer. As a municipality, we are the ones raising labor standards in a state where the minimum wage is still only $7.25/hr by passing an advance scheduling law and a Domestic Worker Bill of Rights. Local non-profits took it upon themselves to send stimulus checks to undocumented families. Communities crowd-fund just to keep immigrant businesses afloat.
But we can never fully close the gap. Immigrant communities shouldn’t have to rely on the goodwill of fellow neighbors, all while supporting an economic system that profits from their exploitation.
Local leaders know the immense value immigrants bring to our cities and townships and yet we are unable to bring about what all of us need the most - a meaningful path to citizenship and a budget that doesn’t exclude immigrant communities.
That’s why the budget reconciliation bill is our best chance at meaningful inclusion in more than 30 years. It’s why 700 local officials have called on Congress to include immigration measures in the budget reconciliation bill. America cannot afford nor allow this system of economic exploitation to continue.
We must extend a road to citizenship for the millions of DACA recipients and Temporary Protected Status Holders and essential workers, who have seen nothing but broken promises from Congress. We owe protections to the members of our communities who kept our country afloat during its toughest economic times these last two years.
In a survey conducted in June 2021, Data for Progress found that measures like these aren’t just popular among Democrats — they’re widely supported by majorities across party lines.
Cities like Philadelphia have been prosperous because of immigrants. As the daughter of immigrants myself, I have worked alongside movements for justice within these communities for decades. Across the country, local leaders continue their tireless work to make sure immigrants know they are welcome, valued, and essential to the health and future of our communities.
It’s long past time that federal leaders follow the will of the country and end this economic apartheid. Immigrants deserve a budget reconciliation deal that values them, and America cannot afford to miss this opportunity again.
Helen Gym (@HelenGymAtLarge) is a Philadelphia City Councilmember and co-chair of Local Progress, a national network of local progressive municipal elected officials.