MIAMI (WSVN) - Local dreamers and immigrants holding temporary protective status are urging Congress to come up with a bipartisan immigration bill that will provide a solution for the various immigration issues.
Coming a day after a large immigration rally was held in downtown Miami, the goal is to have congress come up with a proper path to citizenship for 800,000 dreamers and 235,000 TPS holders.
Dreamers are undocumented people who were brought to the country as children. The TPS holders are people, many from earthquake-ravaged Haiti, staying in the country under a temporary protection status.
“The only way they can show that they stand with the [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] recipients, the only way that they can show that they stand with the TPS recipients is through their vote,” said Marleine Bastien, the Executive Director of the Haitian Women of Miami. “We are asking them to stand with us by not voting for a continued resolution, unless it includes a bipartisan effort to find a permanent solution for DACA recipients and TPS recipients.”
Congress will soon be faced with a vote on a funding bill to keep the government running. During a press conference, Thursday, local immigrants urged Congress to address the immigration issues in the bill.
“We are asking Congress to act, the time is now, because tomorrow, there will be no time,” Bastien said.
Democrats have been urged to let the government shut down happen if there’s no agreement to extend the DACA program.
Protesters also rallied at Senator Bill Nelson’s office, urging him to reject any form of the bill that does not address the future of the immigrants.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.