Leaders in the Senate, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT), have proposed including funding for immigration reform, including a proposed pathway to citizenship for certain immigrants who are undocumented, in FY2022 budget resolution. The resolution is expected to allow the Senate to pass this critical legislation through a reconciliation process with a simple Senate majority.
FWD.us estimates that the U.S. economy would increase by $121 billion annually if Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers, and undocumented essential workers were U.S. citizens, including multi-billion expansions in a dozen state economies, and boosting federal, state, and local tax revenue by $31 billion annually. Including legislation for these groups in the budget reconciliation process could allow nearly 7 million immigrants to access a pathway to citizenship.