A presentation to the California Democratic Party's Chicano/Latino Caucus.
By Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos | President & CEO: California-México Studies Center (CMSC) | Photo by Evan Vucci for AP
The CMSC launched on March 1, 2022, a 7-month national campaign led by Dreamers to call upon President Joe Biden to exercise his authority to Pardon all Undocumented Immigrants and Deported Parents of U.S. Citizen Children Forced into Exile.
Given the growing demand from the private sector for immigrant labor and the shortage of workers in today’s job market, a Presidential Pardon would recognize the vital participation of Latino and undocumented essential workers during the last 2 years of the COVID pandemic, boost the economy and outmaneuver the recalcitrant GOP in lockstep with Trump’s legacy of corruption and malfeasance in office.
As a General Presidential Pardon for undocumented essential workers, Dreamers, TPS holders and parents of 1 million U.S.-citizen children (victims of forced exile due to the deportation of their parents), President Biden could summarily protect and resolve the endemic immigration problem without risking the possibility of being reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court, or Congress, even if the Republicans regain majority and appoint Trump as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
This is an alternative solution for the President, while now facing an imminent war, declining poll numbers, a fractured Democratic Party, and the despicable betrayal of 2 Democratic senators that have blocked his Build Back Better policy agenda and the protection of voting rights.
Without a doubt, all immigration policies and executive actions by the President will be blocked through the courts or by the GOP in Congress and therefore the bold action we are proposing would in fact reverse the downward trend that, by all accounts, predict that the Dems will lose the House (and possibly the Senate) in November.
The CMSC has started this campaign after meeting on Saturday February 19, 2022, with about 100 of our Dreamers Alumni Network members, all participants of our Dreamers Study Abroad Program that are committed to take a leadership role with the following initiatives and activities:
- Secure a Congressional Letter of Support for our Presidential Pardon for Immigrants Campaign from Senators and House Representatives;
- Plan and schedule Lobby Trips to Wash., D.C. to secure signatures from members of Congress in support of our Presidential Pardon for Immigrants Campaign;
- Identify and solicit organizations to join a coalition in support of the Presidential Pardon for Immigrants Campaign;
- Initiate a Citizens’ Petition and Letters of Support Drive to convey community and voters’ commitment to the CMSC’s Presidential Pardon for Immigrants Campaign;
- Conduct webinars, seminars and teach-ins with legal and political experts on the basis and merits of our call for a Presidential Pardon for Immigrants, to engage and secure broad and diverse participation of parents and students in high schools, colleges and universities;
- Plan and organize the following local, regional and national Presidential Pardon for Immigrants Campaign events:
- Monday March 21, 2022: Marco Antonio Firebaugh Day: A day to mark the 16th anniversary of Marco’s passing as the “Godfather of Dreamers” (Author of AB-540) and the first ‘Mega-March’ in Los Angeles, CA on March 24, 2006;
- Friday April 15, 2022: Immigrants Pay Taxes and Taxation without Benefits or Representation Day to teach and inform about the significant tax contributions to the economy by immigrants but denied benefits or representation due to their legal status;
- Sunday May 1st to Cinco de Mayo/May 5th: A Week Without Immigrants to celebrate May Day as Workers Day and the cultural and historical importance of Cinco de Mayo, and to initiate “Good trouble” political actions if President Biden fails to grant the Presidential Pardon for Immigrants desired;
- Wednesday June 15, 2022: Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of DACA and initiate a Summer of Protest and Resistance Drive, if the president has not decided to exercise his Presidential Pardon authority as proposed;
- Friday July 15, 2022: Conduct marches, boycotts, sit-ins and other forms of peaceful protests and civil disobedience;
- Monday August 15, 2022: Begin “Labor Day Mobilization” and develop plans for alternative actions, if there is no commitment by the Democratic Party and President Biden fails to grant the Presidential Pardon for Immigrants needed;
- Monday September 5, 2022: Celebrate Labor Day and President Biden’s Presidential Pardon for Immigrants, or carry out protest marches, ‘Good Trouble’ actions and hold forums and teach-ins at colleges and universities;
The premises for this initiative are both legal and historical [Opinion | Can Obama Pardon Millions of Immigrants? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)]. But most important, our proposed Presidential Pardon for Immigrants Campaign is a political alternative to outmaneuver a recalcitrant GOP that will continue to block any and all attempts to adopt immigration reform, as a means to negate any path to legalization for our community and continue to neutralize policy gains by Democrats.
Ya basta ! We deserve better and we need action now !!!
Please consider adopting this initiative and we urge that the California Chicano/Latino Caucus of the Democratic Party join and lead this campaign.
Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos
