FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 14, 2023

CONTACT:
Ashley DeAzevedo, American Families United, [email protected]

Tell President Biden: “Don’t Sell Out Our Families for the Holidays”: U.S. Citizen Spouses of Undocumented Immigrants Deliver Christmas Cards to Congress

New poll shows “immigration voters” represent key 2024 constituency as postcards are delivered across the U.S., while President Biden and Senators consider instituting Trump-era mass deportation policies and negotiating away the president’s humanitarian parole authority

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration is reportedly considering “big changes” to immigration policy reminiscent of Trump-era immigration policies including instituting “expedited removal” and negotiating away the President’s parole authority in ongoing budget negotiations. This is a direct threat to families including United States citizens married to undocumented immigrants who are barred from accessing legal pathways. 

In response to the ongoing defense supplemental negotiations, American Families United, a volunteer-run organization representing 1.1 million mixed-status families including U.S.-citizen spouses, launched a Christmas card campaign to deliver a clear message to President Biden and members of Congress considering these changes: “‘Tis the Season for Family Reunification: President Biden, Please don’t sell out mixed-status families this Christmas. Uphold Parole, no Expedited removals.” 

These families represent a key base of “immigration voters” with a presence in crucial swing states, as detailed in a recent AFU memo.

The nationwide Christmas card delivery schedule includes:

• U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dec. 13

• U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), Dec. 13

• U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Dec. 13

• U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Dec. 14

• U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), TBD

• U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), TBD

• U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), TBD

• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dec. 14

• U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Dec. 14

• U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), Dec. 14

• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dec. 19-20

• U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Dec. 19-20

• U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC), TBD

• U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dec. 14

• U.S. Sen. Michael Bennett (D-CO), TBD

BACKGROUND:

As laid out in a memo by American Families United, immigration voters — U.S. citizen adults living with undocumented immigrants — are a force in swing states, making common-sense, humane action on immigration their top priority. Among the memo’s key points:

• Young Latino voters will be vital to the outcome of the 2024 election. A Brookings Institute report in May 2023 found that “37% of young Latino voters reported that the GOP ‘cares a great deal about Latinos’ — the highest percentage across all age groups,” showing the need for decisive actions that address the group’s policy preferences. 

• Latino voter registration is growing fast in swing states, driven by younger Latinos. This trend illustrates the reshaping of the electorate as younger Latinos enter the voter rolls, many of whom may be the children of undocumented immigrants. This trend is visible in most swing states.

• Key number: Two million. In swing states alone, more than 2 million U.S. citizens live with an undocumented immigrant and more than 350,000 have an undocumented spouse.

Celinda Lake, a Democratic Party strategist with Lake Research Partners, recently presented a recent survey of likely 2024 voters in seven key swing states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin). It showed very strong support for expanding work permits through parole for undocumented immigrants (including long-term workers, farm workers, Dreamers without DACA and spouses of U.S. citizens) in these swing states and demonstrating the potential to both mobilize turnout targets and consolidate key swing audiences.

“There is extremely broad and strong support for expanding work permits for undocumented immigrants, including long-term workers, farm workers, Dreamers [without DACA] and spouses of U.S. citizens,” said pollster Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners. “Consolidating Mexican American and mixed-status families, a very strong policy with younger people and a 2-to-1 support by swing voters, with absolutely no backlash.”

Ms. Lake shared that expanding work permits increased the support of key constituencies, appealed to swing voters and mobilized demoralized voters, making them excited about the election and candidates in favor of those policies. “This is a policy that is wildly popular with the voters, more popular than the candidates right now, increases a vote for the candidates, increases enthusiasm for election, consolidates voters that are defecting and helps mobilize voters that are under energized right now. It is a remarkably strong policy and we were kind of flabbergasted, honestly, that the data was as high as it is,” Ms. Lake said.

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ABOUT

American Families United (AFU) is a non-partisan 501(c)(4) non-profit organization established in 2006. AFU proposes practical solutions to Congress and supports efforts to advance legislation that affects U.S. citizens married to foreign nationals. To show your support of the American Families United Act, click here: https://www.americanfamiliesunited.org/champions