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Immigration
Responsible reform of our broken immigration system is long overdue. Countless men and women across America lack legal status but contribute to our communities and our country and we should create the means for them to come out of the shadows.
With more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States and a range of industries heavily dependent on their services, our immigration challenges cannot be solved through tougher enforcement measures alone. We need a common-sense solution—one that provides a pathway to legalization for those already in this country and a sensible guest worker program for those seeking to come here. Under the comprehensible immigration reform proposals I support, immigrants who undergo a rigorous background check, learn English, pay any back-taxes they owe and demonstrate strong moral character would eventually be eligible to earn the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship.
While I continue to press for a sweeping set of reforms, I have also introduced legislation to specifically address some of our immigration system’s most egregious shortcomings. For example, HR 1842, the DREAM Act I co-authored with Congressman Howard Berman would enable millions of undocumented young people to fulfill their God-given potential, give back to their communities and ultimately obtain U.S. citizenship. It would also serve our national interest by reducing the deficit, contributing to economic growth and enabling our armed services to meet their recruiting goals.
In addition, I have introduced legislation—HR 933, the Immigration Fairness and Oversight Act—to combat the widespread pattern of abuse in America’s immigrant detention system. This bill will strengthen and codify existing detention standards, ensuring that every detainee has access to legal advice and necessary medical care. It will also bring robust oversight and new accountability to a system that for too long has escaped close scrutiny.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard's Immigration Legislation
The Immigration Oversight and Fairness Act (H.R. 1215)
Provides all immigration detainees with basic minimum protections including access to medical care, phones, and legal representation by establishing legally enforceable immigration detention standards in place of the current system of non-binding and inconsistently applied guidelines. The measure also provides special protections for unaccompanied children and other particularly vulnerable detainees while expanding the use of cost-saving alternatives to detention.
- (October 1, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Advocacy Group Names Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and Other Top Leaders in Congress as Champions for Kids
- (February 25, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard to Department of Homeland Security: Reform Immigration Enforcement
- (December 17, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Revision of U.S. Asylum Policies Applauded
- (December 15, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Contributes Key Components to New Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation
- (November 5, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Speaks Out on Behalf of Immigrant Children
- (November 3, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Op-Ed: Immigrant Detention Policy Reforms are Needed to Ensure the Humane Treatment of Immigrant Detainees
- (October 6, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Price, Roybal-Allard Applaud Reforms Proposed for Immigration Detention Centers
- (August 7, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Welcomes Detention Centers Reforms Announced by ICE
- (June 24, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Speaks at a Briefing Hosted by the Coalition for Immigrant Women's Rights
- (June 4, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Meets With Representatives from Immigrants Rights Groups to Discuss H.R. 1215
- (April 23, 2009) Washington, D.C. – A meeting with David Aguilar, Chief of U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
- (February 26, 2009) Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) Introduces Legislation to Ensure the Humane Treatment of Immigration Detainees
DREAM Act (H.R. 1842)
Provides a pathway for eligible young immigrants raised in the United States to become lawful permanent residents and realize their potential as professionals and taxpayers.
- (June 29, 2011) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard Joins Other Members of Congress in Praising Senate Hearing on the DREAM Act
- (May 11, 2011) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Introduces the Dream Act of 2011
- (March 22, 2011) Downtown Los Angeles - Rep. Roybal-Allard Urges Students to Keep Fighting for Dream Act Passage
- (December 18, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Dream Act Co-Author Congresswoman Roybal-Allard: We Will Keep Fighting Despite Senate Setback
- (December 9, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Thanks Lutheran Ministers for Their Work on Behalf of Immigrants
- (December 8, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Dream Act Passes U.S. House of Representatives
- (November 18, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Calls on Congress to Pass the Dream Act
- (September 21, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Comments on Today's Failed Dream Act Vote in the Senate
- (April 30, 2009) Washington, D.C. – Photo: The United Students of the Southeast Cities Advocate for the Dream Act.
- (March 26, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Introduction of the American Dream Act (HR 1751).
- (October 2, 2007) Washington, D.C. – Photo: Representatives with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) discuss the importance of passing the American Dream Act, among other initiatives impacting the Latino community.
- (May 18, 2007) Washington, D.C. – Photo: Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Chairwoman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law, commend three undocumented immigrants for testifying before the subcommittee about the importance of passing the American Dream Act.
- (February 23, 2007) Downtown, Los Angeles – Photo: Los Angeles-area representatives of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles met with the congresswoman to thank her for her steadfast advocacy on behalf of the American Dream Act.
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