New York, NY—Today, the U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Caucus voted to make Hakeem Jeffries the House Democratic Leader, where he will lead the minority party in Congress.
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director of NYIC Action, said:
“We congratulate U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries on his new position as House Democratic Leader, and look forward to continuing to work with him to fight for the rights of immigrants in New York and across the country. He knows that when our immigrant neighbors wake up every day – whether it’s to go to work or take their children to school —their ability to build their lives and futures in New York ultimately depends on what action Congress will take to implement meaningful immigration reform. When people fleeing violence in their home countries are not offered an orderly process for claiming asylum, or are not given the opportunity to turn their deferred or temporary protected status into a permanent one, they are forced to live in the shadows with an uncertain future, perpetually planning their lives in increments. For too long, Washington has chosen partisan bickering over doing their jobs to govern, and refused to come together to build humane immigration systems. We know it doesn’t need to be this way, and that our elected officials can choose dignity over neglect. We trust Rep. Jeffries knows this too, and will bring his colleagues together to pass the laws that will create a pathway to citizenship and a humane immigration system in America.”
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