Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed a historic immigration reform bill with a path to citizenship that marks a huge step toward fixing our outdated immigration system in a way that reflects Nebraska values and strengthens our state’s families and businesses.
The bill passed with large bipartisan support by a vote of 68-32. Appleseed joins thousands of Nebraskans in celebrating this bill’s passage. Read Appleseed Executive Director Becky Gould’s statement on the Senate vote.
Providing a way for aspiring Americans to become citizens reflects our Nebraska values of humanity and family and will keep children from suffering under our current system that separates kids from parents and makes them live in fear of having their family broken apart. It will protect workers, reduce our federal deficit, and strengthen our economy.
Before the vote Thursday, representatives of more than 40 diverse Nebraska groups gathered in Omaha to ask Nebraska’s U.S. Senators to vote “Yes” on the bill. These groups showed the widespread support of immigration reform by thousands of Nebraskans representing our state’s business, agriculture, faith, civic, children’s, families’, and worker’s interests.
See video highlights of Thursday’s immigration reform news conference:
Darcy Tromanhauser – Nebraska Appleseed
Viridiana Almanza – Nebraska DREAMers Project Coalition
Omar Gutierrez – Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha
Marilyn Mecham – Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska
Jim Partington – Nebraska Restaurant Association
We are greatly encouraged the Senate bill passed with an overwhelming, bipartisan majority, but there is still more work to be done to fix our immigration system. We eagerly look forward to working with Nebraska’s congressional Representatives when the House of Representatives begins debating its immigration reform bill later this summer.