Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Pathway Out of Poverty

On March 21, 2010, more than two hundred thousand advocates gathered in Washington, D.C. and called on Congress and the White House to take swift action to enact comprehensive immigration reform. The last time such a movement took place was in 2006 when mass rallies and marches in favor of immigration reform swept the nation. President Obama and supporters in Congress have said a bill could be introduced sometime this year. Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL-D) has already introduced his version of comprehensive immigration reform legislation in the House of Representatives. Senators Charles Schumer (NY-D) and Lindsey Graham (SC-R) are working on the issue in the Senate and are expected to introduce legislation in the coming months. The Jewish community has been a strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, not just for the humanitarian and civil rights aspects, but also because of the ability for such a policy to strengthen our economy and bring families out of poverty. About 10.8 million unauthorized immigrants live in the U.S. Undocumented immigrants make up 5.2% of the American labor force. These are people living in the shadows, working hard (many times multiple jobs), and frequently struggling to make ends meet.