8.5 million immigrants live, work and pay taxes in the U.S. – sometimes for decades – without having permanent legal residency status. It’s time for this to change!
Make your voice heard! Call Congress to pass the Registry Bill!
Contact your Representatives and Senators TODAY to ask them to pass the Registry Bill! Visit www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member and enter your address or zip code.
Template: Hi, my name is _____ and I am calling on Representative/Senator _____ to vote in favor of the Registry Bill – HR 1511 and SB 2606. It is urgent that we create a path to permanent residency and citizenship for the millions of undocumented people living in the U.S. to help put food on our table and are essential workers. Many of these workers have been paying taxes, raising U.S. born children, and contributing to the U.S. for decades – they deserve citizenship. Thank you for your time.
Mobilizing for Policy Change
On November 14, 2023, in collaboration with the Northern California Coalition for Just Immigration Reform (NCCJIR), EBSC mobilized 70 people to protest at Representative Nancy Pelosi’s house in San Francisco. We demanded that Rep. Pelosi:
1) Express her opposition to President Biden’s request for additional funding to build a wall at the Mexico-US border; and
2) Co-sign the Registry Bill HR1511/SB2606 to ensure a path to permanent residency for 8.5 million undocumented immigrants.
The following day, our team met with staff from the office of California Representative Swalwell (D–CA 14th District) via zoom. Five community members shared their personal testimonies and urged Rep. Swalwell to advocate for a path to permanent residency.
40-Mile Walk: Petaluma and San José to San Francisco – August 5, 6, 7, 2023
Immigrant rights organizations from San Francisco, East Bay, Sonoma and Humboldt Counties organized a 40-mile walk to support the passage of HR 1511, the “Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929,” or “Registry Bill,” which would provide legal immigration status to 8.5 of the almost 12 million undocumented people living in the country. We were joined by over 700 people and walked over 50 miles to demand a path to permanent residency.
STORIES OF THE 8.5 MILLION
“I have lived in the United States for 23 years. I worked as a truck driver until 2011, when I got very sick. I was diagnosed with kidney failure and had to get a transplant. It was a really hard time; I had to sell my truck trailer to pay the bills, so I lost my capacity to work. But I was on Medicare and that helped a lot. When Trump cancelled TPS, I lost my Medicare and things became very difficult for me and my family. I started to work odd jobs to survive. It’s been very stressful. If I had permanent residency, I could find steady work as a truck driver again, pay for my medicine, and support my daughter, who is studying business. I am very proud of her and want to be able to help her finish her studies.”
“I have lived in the United States for 31 years. I work in special education for the county. The children I work with are very vulnerable and have many needs. I have a lot of experience and training to help care for them so they can access their education. I’m the #1 requested a substitute teacher for special education in the county–but I can’t get a permanent position, because I have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and not permanent residency. If I received permanent residency, I could have a stable position with full benefits, including a retirement plan and Medicare coverage when I retire. My dream is to one day retire after working so hard for decades.”
“I have lived in the United States for 32 years. As a TPS holder, I have to pay about $1,000 every eighteen months to renew my TPS. It’s a big financial struggle for me and my family. If I received permanent residency, it would make a huge difference to us. I have four children. They all graduated from college and now live in different countries. I have been separated from my kids for so long. If I received permanent residency, I could finally attend important events in their lives, like weddings and graduations. I could finally see my children and spend time with my ten grandchildren. One of our children has cancer–we want to be able to visit them and help.”
“I have lived in the United States for 23 years. I’m very grateful to have TPS, but I’m still very afraid that it could be taken away at any moment. I worry I could be deported and my children would be left all alone. I work hard in the laundry department at a nursing and rehabilitation center; it’s a difficult job. We care so deeply for every resident. We are a community. If I had permanent residency, I would be so happy. I wouldn’t have to renew my TPS every 18 months and be stressed about my work permit lapsing. I could work without any stress or gaps. My dream is to support my children so they can go to university.”
“The U.S. is my country; I am part of this country. I have lived in the United States since 1998. For 25 years, I have worked hard and raised my family here. I have a 28 year old son and a 19 year old daughter, who is a US citizen. Both my kids want to be nurses. I work as a truck driver. When I have to renew my TPS every 18 months, it causes a lot of problems with the DMV and I can’t work. If I received permanent residency, I would be able to have stable work with no gaps. I could support my children to achieve their dreams of becoming nurses and giving back to their community.”
“I have lived in the United States for almost 30 years. I was born in Honduras, but my life was threatened by violence and civil wars happening in Central America. I had to flee to the U.S. for safety. I worked very hard to support my six children, working in gardening, house painting, construction, and sanitation. Sometimes employers refused to pay me and they would owe me thousands of dollars. But I kept working hard, usually three jobs at a time. In 2008, I bought my first house in San Pablo. It was a huge accomplishment to finally own my own home. The USA is my home. My house, my kids, my life’s work is here. If I received permanent residency, I would no longer be so worried about being forced to leave my family. I would have a secure retirement with my own savings and be able to spend time with my grandchildren. We are all human beings deserving of dignity. ¡En las calles también se puede!”
