18 February 2021, Hyattsville, MD – CASA Executive Director Gustavo Torres issued the following statement in response to the introduction of the U.S. Citizenship Act today in the House and Senate.

“Today is proof that we the people are most powerful when we come together and demand immigrant justice. We are one step closer to citizenship for 11 million people; reuniting families that have been heartlessly targeted by the Trump administration. By introducing this bill so soon after inauguration, leaders from Congress to the White House have shown that the time for relief is now. We look forward to engaging with our elected leaders to ensure that communities directly impacted by a racist criminal justice system are covered by the bill because we have fought for way too long – in the streets and at the ballot box – to leave any of our members behind. Still, this is the most comprehensive and pro-immigrant bill we have seen in decades and we congratulate the President and congressional leaders for advancing long-needed justice for immigrant families.”

CASA Members – a diversity of immigrant community members who would benefit from the bill – are available for interviews. In addition, every Wednesday at 12, CASA holds an immigration rally in Washington, D.C. to share CASA member stories and push Congress for immigrant justice. To learn more, contact Jossie Flor Sapunar at 240-706-2624.

CASA youth member Morelys Urbano is from the Dominican Republic says,

 “I believe that if we all unite as people and as a community, we can actually make bigger changes than what we have right now. We all should be treated equally with the dignity that we all deserve as human beings. We are asking Congress for laws that can grant us a way of not being afraid in this country and a way of not fearing for our lives.”

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