NILC and IJF Call for Elimination of the Filibuster

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2021

CONTACT
Madison Allman, [email protected], 213-328-7082

NILC and IJF Call for Elimination of the Filibuster

WASHINGTON — The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and NILC Immigrant Justice Fund (IJF) today announced the organizations’ support for eliminating the filibuster in the U.S. Senate.

Marielena Hincapié, executive director of NILC and IJF, issued the following statement:

“We are at a critical and determinative moment in our country’s history. We are facing multiple crises, from climate change, to COVID, to attempts to subvert our nation’s democracy. Our elected leaders need to act boldly to address our country’s most pressing issues and set us on the path to a more equitable and inclusive society where we all have the freedom to thrive. Ending the Senate filibuster is a necessary step.

“The filibuster gives extraordinary power to any single senator to thwart critical legislation, even when the majority supports it. This is a tool of obstruction that has long been wielded by right-wing politicians to block efforts to advance civil rights and racial justice in the law.

“Historically, it has been used to limit the political power of communities of color, including immigrants. Today, it remains a major impediment to urgently needed reforms critical to the progressive movement, including a sustainable economy that responsibly works for all of us, health care for all, common sense gun policies, protecting our right to vote, and creating a 21^st century immigration system. All while antidemocratic forces turn to increasingly aggressive tactics to codify restrictions meant to further dilute the votes of the majority and dismantle the very democracy upon which our nation was founded.

“In 2020, more than 80 million Americans voted for a bold vision put forward by now President Biden. The filibuster stands in the way of legislation that brings us closer to realizing that vision, jeopardizes broad reforms to advance racial, economic, and gender justice, and threatens our democracy.

“The current Senate is dysfunctional and has not been able to resolve some of the most pressing issues impacting us all. By 2040, 30 percent of Americans will elect 70 of the 100 senators, which will impact Black and brown communities, in particular, and which in no way will represent the diversity of the nation.

“Eliminating the filibuster would enable us to move ahead with the will of the majority of Americans. It’s time to end the filibuster once and for all for the future of our communities and our democracy.”

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