Essential Immigrants To Rally For Citizenship In Jersey City

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Essential immigrant workers are planning a rally in front of Sen. Bob Menendez's Jersey City office on Tuesday.

The rally is organized by Make the Road New Jersey, an immigrant advocacy group. The rally will call on Congress to use the reconciliation process to give a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The group is focusing on including essential workers, dreamers, TPS holders and farmworkers in the pathway plans.

President Joe Biden had promised to create a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants within his first “100 Days” in office, but efforts were stalled in Congress.

Menendez and U.S. Rep. Linda Sánchez of California introduced President Joe Biden's long-awaited plan to overhaul the nation's immigration policy in Congress in February. Dubbed the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, the federal legislation would create an "earned roadmap to citizenship" for millions of undocumented immigrants, including "Dreamers," TPS holders and some farmworkers.

Last month, Menendez was vocal about his criticism of Biden's initial move to walk back a promise to increase the number of refugees allowed to enter the United States this year. Biden ended up formally increasing in the number of refugees allowed in the U.S. — refugee admissions are now capped at 62,500, up from the Trump administrations cap of 15,000 refugees.

The protest will call on Sens. Menendez and Booker to push and advocate for a plan in Congress.

The rally is planned for 11 a.m. at Harborside Ferry Terminal, Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, and will be streamed-live on Facebook.