My mom is one of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. whose life would change if the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 (USCA) passes. Although I was born in the U.S, I spent most of my life scared that my mom would be taken away; yet, she showed the most courage out of all of us. No matter what situation we found ourselves in, whether it was the hunger that ravaged our stomachs while homeless in NY or the fear that crippled us when my father would beat her, my mom made sure that my brother and I were safe. We could never reach out for help and we were all on our own; however, she was the reason that we survived some of the most turbulent years of my childhood.

It's been roughly 30 years since my mother first arrived in the U.S, and she's prayed everyday for legal relief ever since fleeing Mexico after multiple attempts on her life. When President Obama introduced the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), it gave us hope that we would finally be able to live a peaceful life as a family; yet, it ended up being blocked by a tied vote in the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016. Despite the crushing disappointment, my mom and I got back to doing what we've done for years: organizing and advocating for immigrant and workers' rights. She's taught me at every step of the way that you must always stand back up and work hard for justice because it will never happen on its own. 

I believe that now is the right time to take action. There is a Democratic majority in the U.S. House and the Senate, alongside a President who has delivered a proposal for immigration reform. This is an unprecedented opportunity to make change happen and give people, just like my mom, something they've been without for far too long: peace of mind. 

[UPDATE] On February 18, 2021, U.S. Representative Linda Sanchez and U.S. Senator Bob Menendez introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. It is closely based on President Joe Biden's proposal from January 20, 2021. The act transform the U.S. immigration system for all immigrants regardless of status. The USCA is made up of five sections which cover all of President Biden's key areas of reform:

1. to create earned pathways to citizenship for over 11 million undocumented immigrants, for protected status groups (DACA & TPS), and for agricultural workers;
2. to address the root causes of migration from Central America and to invest in technological advances at border security; 
3. to promote family unity by changes limits and tackling the backlogs within the immigrant visa process;
4. to modernize the immigration courts by expanding alternatives to detention, eliminating court backlogs, improving court efficiency, and eliminating time limits on asylum applications; AND
5. to protect workers from exploitation by establishing the Commission on Employment Authorization and the Labor Law Enforcement Fund.

I'm asking you to act and show your support in this crucial moment. Sign and share this petition so we can pressure our elected representatives to push forward the USCA and create much needed change in the U.S. This is the only way to ensure dignity and respect for more than 11 million people in the country. From my family to yours, thank you for standing with us!

Make sure to use #Citizenship2021 & #USCA21 to build momentum!