English

Yadira Caraveo promotes a bipartisan immigration reform plan

COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SOLVE THE IMMIGRATION CRISIS IN COLORADO

Haga click aquí para leer la versión en español

My father worked hard as a construction worker to make sure that my siblings and I could accomplish our version of the American Dream. For me, the American Dream was becoming a doctor and serving my community, breaking language barriers to help as many people as possible. Thanks to the hard work of my dad and the opportunities that our great nation had to offer, I was able to attain my version of the American Dream.

But I know that today this American Dream seems unattainable for many people. Our immigration system has been broken for several decades, and it’s in desperate need of comprehensive reform that addresses the needs and struggles of working families in 2024.

This is a prevalent concern that I hear from the small business owners of Commerce City, to the farmers and ranchers in Greeley, and the suburban families all across Adams County.

This is why, over the last sixteen months in Congress, I have been working diligently and consistently with both parties to address the desperate need to fix our immigration reform.

Amid the chaos, disruption, and partisan rancor in Washington, where far-right figures continue to make a spectacle of this crisis while blocking the solutions to it, I am focused on tackling the various problems and fixing our broken immigration system. This is why today I am excited to share with you that I introduced a bipartisan immigration package in response to the needs of Colorado. This comprehensive plan addresses five persisting issues within the immigration crisis we are facing.

Taking the Burden Off Local Taxpayers

I presented a bill that would increase funding for FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program (SSP) grant program by $1.4 billion, which is the amount included in the President’s National security supplemental. This funding will prioritize hospitals, clinics, and community health centers to make sure that the financial burden of this crisis does not rely solely on local taxpayers.

Strengthening Border Security and Local Law Enforcement

The urgent need to secure our border is a concern that members of both parties share.

I introduced a bill with Republican Congressman Brad Finstad from Minnesota. This bill would increase resources for three programs that law enforcement rely on to keep communities safe: High Intensity Drug Task Areas (HIDTA), Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and Operation Stonegarden.) This bill will also facilitate these resources for smaller law enforcement agencies and those in rural communities.

From the smallest town in Larimer to the biggest city in Adams, I’m advocating to ensure every community gets its fair share when it comes to law enforcement resources.

Humanitarian Needs

Our broken immigration system has triggered several crises, including an enormous humanitarian crisis spreading across not just border states, but in many parts of our country, including Colorado.

This is why I partnered-up with Congressman Gabe Vasquez from New Mexico to introduce a bill that would aim to hold ICE detention centers accountable to protect detainees who experience injuries, sexual assault, or die in detention facilities and ensure detainees have access to legal resources.

Work Permits

Several communities across the Front Range and Northern Colorado have raised their concerns about the ongoing issues where officials have been asking for work permits to be sped up for new arrivals.

This is why I presented a bill with bipartisan support that would reduce the current 180-day waiting period for work authorization eligibility to 30 days, allowing an asylum seeker to apply for authorization as soon as the asylum claim is filed.

A Pathway to citizenship

People who are Americans in every other way except for a piece of paper must find a way to legalize their status. I have cousins and I know so many people in our community who need to find a way to legalize their status in order to work and be part of our society.

I am a proud supporter of the American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 that would provide Dreamers the opportunity to apply for permanent legal status and eventually become eligible for U.S. citizenship.

Legislating requires making tough choices on hundreds of bills that don’t necessarily have a path to becoming law. In order to have difficult conversations with all of my colleagues we have to leave the door open to consider bipartisan solutions to the influx of migrants we’re experiencing in Denver and the high level of crossings we’re seeing at the southern border.

That’s why I introduced a bipartisan immigration package that would provide financial assistance to Denver, surge resources to the border, expedite work authorizations, and establish a pathway to citizenship. I’m working with both Democrats and Republicans to make progress now, not later.

Our great nation must fix our immigration system to adapt to the needs of our country.

Looking forward to the work ahead.