American Families United Applauds Congresswoman Escobar, Congressman Valadao for Introducing the American Families United Act

April 30, 2021 -- American Families United applauds Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16) and Congressman David Valadao (R-CA-21) for introducing HR 2920, the American Families United Act, which focuses on the immigration and citizenship issues that separate U.S. citizens from their spouses and children. More than 1.3 million US citizens have experienced family separation because their family includes the spouse of a U.S. citizen who has been refused a visa or deported from the United States; another 2.7 million U.S. citizens are facing the possibility of family separation for this reason. 

While people may ordinarily be denied permission to live in the United States for a variety of reasons, immigration workers and judges can sometimes balance other factors to waive these reasons. Currently, those factors do not include the right of a US citizen to live with their family in the United States.

The American Families United Act would address this issue by allowing U.S. citizens to request a case-by-case waiver for the non-citizen spouse and children for many of the reasons they ordinarily may be denied permission to live in the U.S. Judges and others authorized to hear immigration cases would not have the discretion to reunite families if the non-citizen is a national security threat or has a history of serious criminal activity.

The American Families United Act would also make it simpler for a child born to a US citizen outside of the United States to become a citizen themselves, reducing family separations for about 6,000 American families each year.

We are proud to endorse the American Families United Act and look forward to supporting this legislation as it moves through Congress.

We also thank the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees for their endorsements of this legislation.

Earlier in the week, on April 28th, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship considered the American Families United Act in a hearing called, "Why Don't They Just Get in Line? Barriers to Legal Immigration".

American Families United represents U.S. citizens, whose spouses are the highest priority for legal immigration. You can help us by subscribing to our emails, volunteering, joining meetings with legislators, signing our petition, or donating to our cause.