Georgia victories mean a real chance to pass humane legislation protecting all undocumented families

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday January 07, 2021 · 12:42 PM PST

2021/01/07 · 12:42

Jose Cabrera tapes a message "Citizenship Relief Recovery" onto the door of his car among a caravan of cars at an immigration campaign rally in Los Angeles, California on December 15, 2020. - More than 40 organizations launched a legalization and justice campaign in an effort to push the incoming Biden-Harris administration as well as Congressional leaders to pass and enact a humane immigration reform bill in the next two years. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images) — Jose Cabrera tapes a message "Citizenship Relief Recovery" onto the door of his car among a caravan of cars at a immigration campaign rally in Los Angeles, California, on December 15, 2020.

My colleague Joan McCarter on Thursday issued an important reminder to us all of the “bright, lasting light in the darkness of Wednesday”: the people-led victories of Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in Georgia. This now flips control of the Senate to Democrats, giving us a real, fighting chance to finally pass a progressive agenda—including immigration bills refused to be considered by soon-to-be Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Go ahead, you can say it again, I know it feels good. Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

That includes reintroducing and passing the Dream and Promise Act, legislation passed by the House of Representatives over a year and a half ago putting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Temporary Protected Status, and Deferred Enforced Departure holders onto a path to citizenship. In that over a year and a half, it’s been blocked by McConnell, and left to die in his legislative graveyard.

Democrats can finally get to this legislation signed into law to permanently protect these immigrants—and must go even further, putting all 11 million undocumented immigrants who have lived in fear and uncertainty, especially during the past four years, onto a path to legalization and citizenship.

“The Democratic victory in Georgia exponentially increases the possibility of substantial changes in immigration policy,” Border Network for Human Rights executive director Fernando Garcia tells Border Report. “We’re not only talking about a permanent solution for the ‘Dreamers’ in Congress, but also to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes the legalization of 11 million people living in the shadows in this country.”

Just as importantly, a Democratic Congress and White House gives us a chance to bring about substantive, meaningful accountability to out-of-control federal immigration agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. The former knowingly worsened the novel coronavirus pandemic by ignoring calls to release detained people as a matter of public health, while children died in the custody of the latter for the first time in a decade.

There’s no denying that tackling the items above, along with other immigration issues from President-elect Joe Biden’s immigration platform, will still require a fight and push from us. Democrats will hold a slim majority with the tie-breaking vote of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and anti-immigrant Republican legislators and hate groups will no doubt fight tooth and nail to kill or water-down any legislation, like they have during past immigration fights.

But if we stick together, push our leaders, and fight back against these anti-immigrant forces, we can pass humane policy to finally protect our families. From the 2020 presidential election last November to Georgia this week, we have a clear mandate. “Political change is being driven from the ground up in Sunbelt states from Arizona to Georgia,” immigrant rights advocacy group America’s Voice said. “Policy change will be driven by the multiracial, multiethnic and multigenerational majority that rejects Trump’s racism and xenophobia and supports pro-immigrant policies as never before.”

“Activists, voters and candidates in Sunbelt states are driving the political transformation of America,” executive director Frank Sharry said. “In turn, this is creating the public support and political will to deliver long-overdue reforms on immigration policy and beyond. We welcome this new day and commit to doing our part to turn power into policy change that positively impacts the lives of millions.”

Georgia victories mean a real chance to pass humane legislation protecting all undocumented families

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