AUSTIN, TX – June 17, 2024 – The Texas Immigration Law Council urges President Joe Biden and his administration to build on recent executive actions at the border by extending work permits to long-term immigrants, including undocumented spouses and immediate family of U.S. citizens, “Dreamers” ineligible for DACA due to age but who significantly contribute to the U.S. economy, and long-term workers who have paid taxes for years without a path to legal status.
“Providing work permits for long-term immigrants is a long overdue fair, sensible and nonpartisan solution that would not only benefit millions of workers who deserve the ability to work lawfully in our country but would also bring billions of dollars into our local economies,” said Kristin Etter, Director of Policy and Legal Services at the Texas Immigration Law Council.
Long-term immigrants have been integral to our nation’s economy, having worked and paid taxes for years, often decades. They have raised children, many of whom are U.S. citizens, and contributed substantially to our communities.
Legal work permits would provide critical protections against exploitation and enable immigrants to seek employment that matches their skills, thereby improving working conditions across the board. Extending work permits would generate an estimated $16 billion in economic activity and directly affect 10.6 million U.S. citizens living with undocumented immigrants, many in key battleground states.
“Expanding lawful pathways to work directly benefits immigrants and their families, as well as local businesses and communities which in turn benefits all of us,” said Kristin Etter.
Additional Background: Support for expanding work permits for long-term immigrants is robust and widespread. Nineteen U.S. Senators, over 80 members of Congress, and more than 300 employers, CEOs, and associations have endorsed this move, alongside labor organizations like SEIU, UNITE HERE, the Culinary Union, Teamsters, and United Auto Workers (UAW). Recently, NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson led a bipartisan letter from over 40 mayors urging the President to extend work permits, and over 140 Latino state and local elected officials nationwide have echoed this call.
The U.S. is home to 10.6 million citizens in mixed-status households, with significant numbers in states like Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Long-term undocumented immigrants have resided in the U.S. for an average of 15 years, contributing $92 billion in household income and nearly $9.8 billion in taxes annually.
For further information, please contact us at info@txilc.org
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The Texas Immigration Law Council is a statewide nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization formed in 2023 to promote and protect the rights of immigrants and refugees of all nationalities in Texas. The Council promotes meaningful access to justice for immigrants and refugees by serving as a statewide immigrant legal resource center. The Council brings together constituencies across the political spectrum to advance constructive dialogue on immigrant solutions for Texas.
