Dr. Ruiz Applauds Passage of Historic Immigration Legislation

Press Release

Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) applauded the passage of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, and H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act--vital legislation to modernize and reform our immigration system. Dr. Ruiz voted for H.R. 6 to secure permanent protections against deportation and an earned pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders. Dr. Ruiz also voted to pass H.R. 1603, which provides stability, predictability, and fairness to the workers who feed America.

"The Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act will make an incredible, positive difference for our nation," said Dr. Ruiz. "It is precisely now during a pandemic when we need to pass these bills that will stabilize our economy, strengthen our food supply chain, and give people peace of mind. I urge Senate Majority Leader Schumer to bring these two bills up for a vote in the Senate."
As Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Dr. Ruiz joined lawmakers ahead of the House vote to call for the passage of the bills. He also spoke on the House floor in support of the Dream and Promise Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act before presiding over the House vote for H.R. 6. Both bills passed the House with bipartisan support.

Background

H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act, would provide permanent legal protections for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients. In total, the bill would provide protections for up to 3.4 million immigrants, many of whom have spent much of their lives in the United States. You can read more about H.R. 6 here.

Last week, Dr. Ruiz joined local Dreamers for a roundtable discussion in anticipation of the House's vote on the bill. At the roundtable, Dreamers encouraged passage of the bill, which would allow them to contribute fully to the country they love and is their home.

H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021, would stabilize the agricultural sector and food supply chain by providing an earned pathway to legal status for farmworkers through the Certified Agricultural Worker (CAW) process.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would also ensure that farmers can fulfill their labor needs well into the future by reforming the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program to provide more flexibility for employers and ensure protections for workers.

H.R. 1603 is supported by a wide array of organizations including United Farmworkers (UFW), Western Growers, Farmworker Justice, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and 253 agriculture industry groups. You can read more about the bill here.

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