The US Citizenship Act of 2021 would offer a pathway to citizenship to almost 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.
The bill supported by the Biden Administration has received mixed reaction.
Martha came to the United States in 1996 and has been able to go back to Mexico due to her legal status. She’s one of the 11 million undocumented immigrants who are hopefully the US Citizenship Act of 2021 will pass.
“We’re always scared that we don’t have papers and at anytime they come and arrest you and take you back from where you’re from,” said Martha.
Dolores Tapia is an immigration attorney who’d like something to be done.
“He’s had a lot of experience working and reaching across the aisle and so he will know what to offer in exchange so that hopefully eventually this bill even if it’s not exactly as it was introduced will be passed,” said Tapia. “I am literally praying that he will keep his promise and seriously pursue an immigration reform that it’s inclusive of everyone.”
Jeanita McNulty is Scott County’s Republican Party Chair and said she wants the bill broken into smaller pieces.
“I think they’re going to have to break the bill into pieces it’s just major legislation that is going to be a big problem the way it is and I don’t foresee them passing that major piece without breaking into smaller pieces and then we’ll see how they negotiate over the varies pieces,” said McNulty. “I think working together instead of just slamming everyone with all of this just barely over a month would be much better give people pause to think about the new policies with the bills and what he wants to do but it’s been a major slam.”
If the Citizenship Act of 2021 is passed it would be the first major immigration reform bill since 1986.
