Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., speaks Tuesday morning about encouraging immigrants to sign up for benefits in President Barack Obama’s November executive order.
WASHINGTON – House Democrats on Tuesday announced a national tour to encourage undocumented immigrants to sign up for benefits created by President Barack Obama’s November executive order.
The move represents another attack on ongoing Republican efforts to shut down the president’s plan to ease restrictions for undocumented immigrants.
Partnering with local faith organizations, Democrats will hold forums and workshops in coming weeks in states such as Florida, Illinois and California to help young immigrants and parents of U.S. citizens now eligible for deferred action prepare to apply.
“In the next 30 days, the new regulations that will allow the new DREAMers eligible to apply will begin,” said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill, known for his championship of immigration reform. “The first of four million undocumented citizens will be able to come forward.”
The move is part of the Democrats’ attempts to fight Republican efforts in Congress this week to roll back the November executive action as a condition for funding the Department of Homeland Security.
The president’s executive action limits the number of deportations and allows millions of illegal immigrants, particularly the parents of citizens and legal residents and to avoid deportation and gain work authorization.
During the press conference, several colleagues who showed support for the tour flanked Gutierrez.
Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., who will be hosting a workshop in her Los Angeles district next week, recalled meeting a teacher who said her students were unsure about applying for deferred action for fear of deportation.
“We are going to mobilize to make sure that every single individual who can take advantage of the program is allowed to do so,” Chu said.
Democrats also called for a “clean” homeland security funding bill, blasting House Republicans for seeking to pass amendments to the current $39.7 billion spending bill this week to block the executive order.
Rep. Al Greene, D-Texas, also said the executive order does not cost taxpayers money because undocumented immigrants would be paying fees to sign up.
Earlier on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi stood on the Capitol steps to attack the GOP plan: “Why don’t we live up to our responsibilities in a bipartisan way here to protect and defend the American people, to live up to the character of our country which is a nation of immigrants?”
On Monday, the White House issued a veto threat of the Republican bill, which is expected to pass this week.
