Jewish groups press Biden to open pathway to citizenship for undocumented migrants

By JTA 10 June 2021, 9:07 pm

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Family members participate in a demonstration to advocate for the release of Cesar Elizarraraz outside of the Chicago ICE Field Office, June 9, 2021. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

An array of Jewish groups calls on US President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented migrants.

In a letter addressed to Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the groups say such a pathway should be included in “in any economic recovery or infrastructure legislation.”

Bend the Arc, a liberal social justice advocacy group, initiated the letter. Organizations representing the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements signed on, along with a number of major mainstream groups, including HIAS, the main Jewish immigration advocacy group.

Others included the Anti-Defamation League, the National Council for Jewish Women, Jewish Women International, and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella body for public policy groups. In addition to 19 national groups, a number of state-level Jewish groups signed.