As Biden Introduces Infrastructure Plan, Community Change Action and Make the Road New York Make Five Figure Ad Buy to Demand Citizenship for Essential Workers 

Nationwide – As President Biden introduces his infrastructure plan today, Community Change Action, through FIRM Action, and Make the Road New York are launching a five-figure digital ad buy in key states to urge Biden and Congress to include a path to citizenship for undocumented essential workers in the package. The ads will run on Facebook in Georgia, Michigan, Colorado, Arizona, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New York and call for support granting a pathway to citizenship to undocumented essential workers and more pandemic relief.

“Undocumented immigrant essential workers risk their own lives to keep our country’s economy open during the pandemic that has disproportionately impacted our communities,” said Sulma Arias, Spokesperson for FIRM Action and Director of Immigrant Rights for Community Change Action. “We’re way past the time for Congress to act and create the roadmap to citizenship essential workers–and the 11 million undocumented workers need.”

“Our communities have been on the frontlines of this pandemic, delivering food, providing vital support as health care workers, caregivers, educators and more,” said Yaritza Mendez, Associate Director of Organizing at Make the Road New York. “Building back better and recovering from the pandemic must include honoring the work and sacrifices of these immigrant essential workers and providing them with a swift path to citizenship.”

The ad features Guadalupe Paleta, a member of Make the Road New York and undocumented Queens resident, one of the areas of the country hardest hit by COVID-19. She is a domestic worker on the frontlines of the pandemic and was directly impacted by the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from the multiple pandemic relief and recovery packages.

The launch of these ads comes three weeks into the March to Victory: Relay Across America that the FIRM Action network organized, in partnership with the We Are Home campaign, to bring attention to the fight for citizenship for the 11 million. The Relay will have more than 30 events nationwide and culminate in Washington, D.C. on May 1.

You can watch the ads here.

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 The FIRM Action network is the nation’s largest immigrant-rights coalition, with grassroots organizations fighting for immigrant rights at the local, state and federal level. FIRM Action is a project of Community Change Action, a national social justice organization that builds the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to change the policies and institutions that impact their lives.

Make the Road New York (MRNY) builds the power of immigrant and working class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services. We have 24,000+ members and operate five community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Brentwood, Long Island; and White Plains, Westchester County.