Work Permits for All
Take Action!
-
Contact your IL State Representative and Senator and tell them you want them to support H.J.R. 69. You can find your representatives contact information, HERE
-
Your organization can sign on to our campaign letter. To add your organization's name, contact Nina Sedeño at nsedeno@latinopolicyforum.org.
About Work Permits for All
Work Permits for All is a mobilization of mixed status families, DREAMers left out of DACA, community based organizations, business and faith leaders, and allies calling on President Biden to authorize the establishment of a parole and work authorization program for long-term immigrant workers who are undocumented and residing in Illinois to address the State's critical need for labor and to secure the lives of tens of thousands of mixed status families in Illinois.
In the state of Illinois, there are 76 available workers for every 100 jobs. Shortages exist in key industries such as education and healthcare.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are an estimated 400,000+ immigrants who are undocumented in Illinois. The working segment of this population contributes $1.5 billion in taxes per year. Nearly 30% have been residing in the U.S. for 20 or more years.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, nearly 30% [of the 400,000+ undocumented individuals in IL] have been residing in the U.S. for 20 or more years.
The benefit of allowing long-term immigrants who are undocumented to receive parole and work authorization is two-fold: 1) It protects the lowest-wage workers, who are overrepresented by workers of color and immigrants, from deportation and exploitation in the workplace by lessening the power employers; and 2) It alleviates labor shortages while increasing taxes paid to the state by including more eligible workers into the formal workforce.
The Illinois General Assembly introduced House Joint Resolution 69 (HJR 69) that makes the case that granting work permits to the long-term undocumented is a significant public benefit to the state, economically, socially, and morally. It is up to President Biden to grant work permits. The time is now.
Helpful links:
To learn more about the campaign and how work permits through parole would work, check out the following resources.
-
Chicago Sun-Times. Raul Raymundo and Sylvia Puente (2024, April 9). To jump-start the economy and provide workers, Biden should OK work permits for all undocumented immigrants.
-
Chicago Sun-Times. Jose Muñoz (2024, April 22). Work permits for undocumented immigrants are overdue.