National Day Laborer Organizing Network Reaction to House Passage of Build Back Better Act

Los Angeles, CA – In reaction to House passage of sweeping legislation of President Biden’s Build Back Better Act, Pablo Alvarado, Co-Director of NDLON, issued the following statement:

“In order for immigrant rights to advance in this landmark legislation, President Biden must show leadership that to date he has not shown. If President Biden makes a clear and unequivocal case for immigrant rights, we are confident all Democrats in the Senate will unify in support of a massive immigrant legalization program, and we are equally confident that this mythical Parliamentarian will not pose an obstacle. However, if President Biden does not use the full power of the White House to make the case for our equal rights, this legislation will likely fail with catastrophic consequences for immigrant families and for the American family. It is no overstatement to say that millions of immigrants are quite literally working to death right now for a country whose law, policy, and politics continues to treat us like shit. Meanwhile, violent, deranged, and nihilist Republican elected officials are using the topic of immigration and the scapegoating of immigrants to hold their tattered party together, even if in the process, they are causing harm to people, destroying cherished institutions of government, and ravaging once shared national values. After twenty years of failure in congress, the terms of debate are quite clear. This is a battle between courage and fear. Immigrants have courage. Their oppressors have fear. It is time right now for President Biden to show the country where he stands.”

###