FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              PRESS CONTACT

November 24, 2014                                                        Brenda Lopez  956.544.8352

PRESS RELEASE: This Country's Immigration Reform Approach Has Finally Hit the Crossroads. The Choices are Stark. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – If right wing Republicans have their way, the lives of eight million people could be ripped apart by simply being rounded up and sent back to their countries of origin.  The economic engines in our high tech, agricultural, hotel, restaurant and construction industries, which these eight million people help support, could just as well come to a grinding halt by an effort of mass deportation that these extremists advocate.

The President has offered a much more rational proposal by delaying deportations and offering work permits to over four million people who already make up part of our Nation’s fabric.  These are our neighbors, friends and family.  They want a better life for themselves and their families, much like the rest of us.  They are people who work hard and are proud to call the United States of America home.  

Allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in this country lawfully would also have economic benefits. An analysis done in 2013 by the Congressional Budget Office determined that creating a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants could reduce federal deficits by up to $175 billion over 10 years. 

In Texas alone, there are more than 1.6 million unauthorized immigrants.  The federal government does not have the resources, manpower or ability to deport millions of people.  History tells us this is a country made up of immigrants.  The President deserves credit for this courageous first step in fixing our broken immigration system, and it is now up to Congress to finish the job.

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