Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02), Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, issued the following statement on the Senate Parliamentarian’s ruling regarding the inclusion of a legal path to residency in budget reconciliation:

“I am deeply disappointed by the Senate Parliamentarian’s ruling to block immigration reform in the budget reconciliation process,” said Congresswoman Ross. “While this attempt to extend a path to citizenship to Dreamers, TPS and DED recipients, and essential workers was not successful, we have many other avenues to achieve this goal. I remain hopeful that Senate Democrats have alternate proposals to extend protections to these individuals, and I will continue working with my House Judiciary colleagues to get immigration reform across the finish line.”

Congresswoman Ross led 22 of her House colleagues in urging Congressional leadership to include a permanent path to residency for Documented Dreamers, dependents of long-term nonimmigrant visa holders (including H-1B, L-1, E-1, and E-2 workers), in the budget reconciliation package. In June, Representatives Ross, Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), and Young Kim (CA-39) introduced America’s CHILDREN Act, bipartisan legislation to protect Documented Dreamers from aging out of the system when they turn 21, forcing them to self-deport. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Senate version of America’s CHILDREN Act this month.

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