Welcome to Inbox One, a weekly short-form newsletter by Juan Escalante that brings you the toplines on immigration, tech, and other topics of interest. Help Inbox One grow by sharing these bite-sized updates with a friend or two!
A personal update…
Last week, I traveled to Richmond, VA, to meet with President Joe Biden and urge to work with Congress to build a path to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS Holders, farmworkers, and essential workers. Here is a photo of us together, which has not made it to Twitter or Instagram just yet.
During our brief exchange, the President paused to listen about how the DACA program had impacted my life and unclocked new opportunities for my brothers and me. I also told the President how grateful my parents were for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans — a program that will allow them to work, drive, and live free from the fear of deportation.
President Biden looked at me in the eye, placed his hand on my shoulder, and said the same thing he has always said about immigration on reconciliation. "We are going to get it done. As long as I am President, I am on your side."
Not surprisingly, he just told reporters the same thing earlier today after meeting with various Senators and House Members:
As a veteran of the immigrant rights movement, I've experienced many highs and lows throughout my career. I've helped ushed life-changing state policy that has transformed the lives of immigrants in specific states (including my home state of Florida). But I've also experienced the frustration of defeat — having seen the Dream Act fail in Congress in 2007, 2010, and 2013.
This time around, 15 years after I started advocating for a path to citizenship for immigrants, I have renewed hope that we can score a victory for our communities.
Congress must include a path to citizenship in the upcoming reconciliation package — and it is up to take action and ensure they deliver.
This week on immigration…
CONGRESS passed $2.1 billion in emergency funding for Capitol security and Afghan resettlement. As reported by the Washington Post, the legislation eases the requirements for 8,000 newly created special immigrant visas for “Afghans who served as interpreters or otherwise aided Western forces fighting the Taliban.”
OVER 90 CEOS, including those from Apple, Alphabet, and Amazon, sent a letter to Congress urging them to deliver a path to citizenship for DACA recipients. Bloomberg has the full story but the letter also made an appearance in a full-page ad that ran on The New York Times.
MAYORS from cities across the country also sent a letter to Congress urging them to deliver a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants. Signed by over 80 Mayors, the letter states that the “only way we can truly Build Back Better is to ensure that Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers are included in any economic recovery legislation including through budget reconciliation.”
AG MERRICK GARLAND has decided to mess with Texas. Republican Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order designed to “restricting ground transportation of migrants who pose a risk of carrying COVID-19 into Texas communities.” In response, the U.S. Attorney general made it clear that the Department of Justice “intends to pursue all appropriate legal remedies” if Abbot doesn’t revoke his malicious order.
That’s all for this week! With everything happening on immigration (and in Congress!) I have not had a second to read up on the latest tech news. I promise to do a better job next week.
Great job! Keep moving forward!