Mediaboss Marketing

We may devote one month out of the year to recognize the contributions of Latinos, but our Latino community and Tennessees immigrant population at-large make a steady impact all year long.

Tessa Lemos Del Pino, Tara Lentz and Martha Silva| Guest Columnists

Video: Voices of Tennessee DACA recipients

Evelin Salgado, Cesar Virto, Mercedes Gonzalez and Jazmin Ramirez speak on what DACA means to them

Courtney Pedroza, Nashville Tennessean

Hispanic Heritage Month may be over, but we can do one last thing to honor the contributions of Latinos and all immigrants in Tennessee: pass immigration reform.

Recently, we celebrated Congress important step toward forming a path to citizenship for immigrant youth, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, essential workers, and their families through the federal budget reconciliation process.

However, as the Parliamentarian ruled that Senate Democrats could not include immigration reform in the budget reconciliation process, we must call on the Senate to vote for comprehensive immigration reform now.

Sign up for Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter:Read compelling stories for and with the Latino community in Tennessee.

Lets take a look at the data. According to the American Immigration Council, there are at least 130,000 undocumented residents, many who have called Tennessee home for decades.

70,982 U.S. citizens in Tennessee live with at least one undocumented family member. Without immigration reform and a path to citizenship, our undocumented neighbors and their U.S. citizen family members are at risk of family separation.

To further illustrate this risk, at least 4%of children in Tennessee live with at least one undocumented family member. Four percent of children in Tennessee must live in fear of one day coming home from school to find out a parent or other family member has been detained or deported.

Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns.

This crisis is further illuminated by the thousands of immigrant workers on the frontlines ensuring our countrys health, safety, and food supply during the pandemic. Immigrant workers kept building Nashvilles new high rises, and kept our entertainment and hospitality industries running, yet did not qualify for any federal pandemic relief benefits.

Additionally, without citizenship, Tennessees 10,300 DACA eligible youth must pay out of state tuition for higher education opportunities. Failure to provide a solution to these families will reverberate throughout our state and it's economy: DACA recipients possess $247.7 million in spending power in Tennessee according to the Center for American Progress. A path to citizenship will allow individuals and families to fully participate in our state and our country.

At Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, we have represented thousands of people who are entitled to change immigration status under current U.S. immigration law.

Unfortunately, those opportunities are limited. We consult with many people who fled violence and poverty in their home countries to seek a better life in the United States.

They want nothing more than to apply for lawful immigration status. With lawful immigration status, they can work and obtain a drivers license. With lawful immigration status, they can build a safe and secure future for themselves and their families.

Yet, often we meet with people who have no options. There is no immigration process available to them, no matter how long they wait or how much money they pay. Our current immigration system is governed by a patchwork of laws designed to exclude and limit rather than encourage immigration. With immigration reform, we can return our country to one that welcomes immigrants and recognizes their essential contributions.

Sign up for Black Tennessee Voices newsletter:Read compelling columns by Black writers from across Tennessee.

Conexin Amricas has been serving the Latino community in Tennessee for almost 20 years, creating opportunities where Latino families can belong, contribute, and succeed.

After working for months to ensure our community participated in the 2020 Census, we know that in Tennessee our Latino and immigrant communities continue to grow. While not all Latinos are immigrants, many have family members and friends who are.

We may devote one month out of the year to recognize the contributions of Latinos in our community, but the fact is our Latino community and Tennessees immigrant population at-large make a steady impact all year long.

We need sensible immigration reform that allows all of our residents to stay united with their families, further their education and participate fully in the economy.

Today, we have the opportunity to help our neighbors thrive.

Call on Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty to pass immigration reform now.

Tessa Lemos Del Pino is executive director of Tennessee Justice for our Neighbors, and Tara Lentz and Martha Silva are interim co-executive directors of Conexin Amricas.

Go here to see the original:
Congress must pass immigration reform to help more than 100,000 Tennesseans | Opinion - Tennessean