For Immediate Release: July 17, 2019
Contact: apala@apalanet.org
APALA Urges Congress to Pass the Reuniting Families Act
Washington, DC - Today, Representative Judy Chu (CA-27) introduced the Reuniting Families Act that would protect and strengthen family-based immigration pathways and the diversity immigration visa program. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO urges Congress to support the rich, vibrant, and multicultural communities that working immigrants and their families have built in America by passing the Reuniting Families Act.
APALA National Vice President Kim Geron and CFA member stated: “When 65% of overall immigration is made possible through the family-based system, it is critical that we double down on protecting the immigration pathways that have enabled many of us to sponsor or be sponsored by our parents, children, and siblings to live, work, and be with our families in the U.S. The Reuniting Families Act provides protections for LGBTQ families, women and children, and addresses the decades long backlog 4.4 million spouses and children face in order to reunite with their family members. We believe that all working people and immigrants deserve to be with their families and communities. That’s why we are joining the Value Our Families coalition, advocates from across the nation, and Congressional representatives at the Capitol to celebrate the reintroduction of the Reuniting Families Act and urge for its immediate passage.”
APALA National 2nd Vice President and UDW/ AFSCME Local 3930 Assistant Executive Director Johanna Hester shares: “My father left for the United States when I was barely two years old. He wanted to find opportunities to raise us that would provide a better future. Because of the visa backlogs, he wasn’t able to successfully sponsor me until I was 15 years old. I then had to wait until I turned 21 years old to sponsor my mom to join us. We were all different people by the time we reunited - there was so much lost time in getting to know each other. I hope that other families like mine will continue to be able to reunite and even sooner. We need policies like the Reuniting Families Act to protect immigrant families.”
Please sign this petition and call your Representative to support the Reuniting Families Act. We have to show them that working people and immigrants believe that all families belong together.
Sign the Petition: bit.ly/apala4rfa
Call 1-877-782-8274 to get connected to your member of Congress. You will likely get connected to the represetantive’s staffer. The following is an example of what you can say:
“Hi, my name is [NAME]. I am a member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and I am calling from [CITY, STATE]. When 65% of overall immigration is made possible through the family-based system, it is critical that we double down on protecting the immigration pathways that have enabled many Asian American and Pacific Islanders to be with their families. Congress must act now to protect immigrant families by passing the Reuniting Families Act. I am calling to ask that [insert your representative’s name] support the Reuniting Families Act and vote down any amendments that would weaken the bill. Thank you.”
For more information about the Reuniting Families Act, please check out this Value Our Families Resource.
Contact: apala@apalanet.org
APALA Urges Congress to Pass the Reuniting Families Act
Washington, DC - Today, Representative Judy Chu (CA-27) introduced the Reuniting Families Act that would protect and strengthen family-based immigration pathways and the diversity immigration visa program. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO urges Congress to support the rich, vibrant, and multicultural communities that working immigrants and their families have built in America by passing the Reuniting Families Act.
APALA National Vice President Kim Geron and CFA member stated: “When 65% of overall immigration is made possible through the family-based system, it is critical that we double down on protecting the immigration pathways that have enabled many of us to sponsor or be sponsored by our parents, children, and siblings to live, work, and be with our families in the U.S. The Reuniting Families Act provides protections for LGBTQ families, women and children, and addresses the decades long backlog 4.4 million spouses and children face in order to reunite with their family members. We believe that all working people and immigrants deserve to be with their families and communities. That’s why we are joining the Value Our Families coalition, advocates from across the nation, and Congressional representatives at the Capitol to celebrate the reintroduction of the Reuniting Families Act and urge for its immediate passage.”
APALA National 2nd Vice President and UDW/ AFSCME Local 3930 Assistant Executive Director Johanna Hester shares: “My father left for the United States when I was barely two years old. He wanted to find opportunities to raise us that would provide a better future. Because of the visa backlogs, he wasn’t able to successfully sponsor me until I was 15 years old. I then had to wait until I turned 21 years old to sponsor my mom to join us. We were all different people by the time we reunited - there was so much lost time in getting to know each other. I hope that other families like mine will continue to be able to reunite and even sooner. We need policies like the Reuniting Families Act to protect immigrant families.”
Please sign this petition and call your Representative to support the Reuniting Families Act. We have to show them that working people and immigrants believe that all families belong together.
Sign the Petition: bit.ly/apala4rfa
Call 1-877-782-8274 to get connected to your member of Congress. You will likely get connected to the represetantive’s staffer. The following is an example of what you can say:
“Hi, my name is [NAME]. I am a member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and I am calling from [CITY, STATE]. When 65% of overall immigration is made possible through the family-based system, it is critical that we double down on protecting the immigration pathways that have enabled many Asian American and Pacific Islanders to be with their families. Congress must act now to protect immigrant families by passing the Reuniting Families Act. I am calling to ask that [insert your representative’s name] support the Reuniting Families Act and vote down any amendments that would weaken the bill. Thank you.”
For more information about the Reuniting Families Act, please check out this Value Our Families Resource.
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