Heinrich Commends Biden Action On Immigration Reform, Continues Fight To Pass Legislation To Protect Dreamers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) issued the following statement commending President Joe Biden’s proposed U.S. Citizenship Act and day one executive actions that reverse many of former President Donald Trump’s most harmful anti-immigrant policies:

“As the son of an immigrant, I know firsthand the promise that America represents for those seeking to build a better life. For our entire history, immigrants have overcome incredible adversity and discrimination to play a vital role in this nation’s success. The way we treat immigrants, refugees, and those seeking asylum shows the world what America stands for. But for decades, even before Trump, our nation’s broken immigration system has failed to live up to our true American values.

“I am pleased that President Biden has made fixing our immigration system a top priority. On day one, he took action to strengthen protections for Dreamers, reverse the Muslim Ban, and stop border wall construction.

“The president’s U.S. Citizenship Act would provide a fair and earned pathway to U.S. citizenship for Dreamers and millions of undocumented people that contribute so much to our local economies and communities. It prioritizes smart federal infrastructure investments for our vibrant border communities, creates stronger prosecutions for smuggling and human trafficking, and addresses the root causes of mass migration from Central America’s northern triangle.

“We are a nation of laws, and our immigration laws are broken and badly in need of repair. I look forward to working with the Biden administration and senators from both sides of the aisle to advocate for New Mexico communities and create a fair, just immigration system.”

Senator Heinrich was a cosponsor of the Central America Reform And Enforcement Act, legislation to address the root causes of the Central American migrant crisis. Senator Heinrich also introduced the Protect Dreamer Confidentiality Act, which safeguards DACA recipients’ private information from being used for deportation purposes.

For more information on President Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act, click here.