Eric Cantor’s defeat in Congress has raised fresh questions about the future of comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level. We are not waiting for Washington to act. We are taking action—now.
A broad coalition of CPD, our partners at Make the Road New York, elected officials, organized labor, and immigrant advocates are moving quickly to refocus national debate and the progressive movement on what states can do to extend full equality to the millions of noncitizens who call America home.
We are proud to play a lead role in organizing and driving the America is Home coalition. Our first goal is passage of the New York is Home Act, legislation we helped introduce today with State Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman and Chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Caucus Karim Camara to give citizenship rights and benefits to nearly 3 million noncitizens through New York’s Office for New Americans.
When the legislation passes, noncitizens granted New York state citizenship will be given access to health care, drivers’ licenses, professional licenses, the right to vote, the right to run for elected office, equal access to higher education and protection against racial profiling. The New York is Home Act creates an ambitious new model of immigrant inclusion that we will work for states around the country to adopt.
The legislation goes further than what any other state in the country has done to enable the full and equal participation of immigrants in the diverse communities where we live and work.
Noncitizens should be treated with the same dignity and respect as American citizens. With state citizenship, countless immigrants, including millions of disenfranchised, aspiring Americans, will be able to exercise greater economic and political power, and to help our communities grow and prosper. This is our America, too, and in many cases it is the only home we have ever known.
Join us in working to make America a fairer and better home for noncitizen residents. Tell Governor Cuomo that New York should become a national leader on immigrant dignity.
Ana Maria Archila
Co-Executive Director of The Center for Popular Democracy