Last week, immigrant communities expressed disappointment after the Senate parliamentarian rejected the most recent proposal to include immigration reform in President Biden’s Build Back Better package.

According to Congress, immigration reform does not meet the conditions for inclusion in a budget proposal that would avoid the Senate filibuster. This eventuality dealt a significant setback to Democrats’ efforts to include a road to citizenship in the massive climate and fiscal cliff legislation. 

 “This was a major blow to the immigrant community,” said Pilar Rocha-Goldberg, president and CEO of El Centro Hispano Inc., North Carolina’s largest Hispanic organization. “This vote would have provided relief for immigrant communities across NC. Removing the threat of deportation and allowing for lawful work would be the most significant immigration policy passed in decades, positively impacting people across NC.”

 There is no doubt that this response was a major blow for the immigrant community. But, we are hopeful that Congress will come to some resolution that will provide a pathway to citizenship and relief to immigrant communities across NC.