Latino leaders call for work permits for long-term workers, undocumented family of citizens

As President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visit Philadelphia to launch a campaign aimed at Black voters, elected officials and the leaders of several community-based organizations gathered at City Hall to call for an extension on work permits for long-term residents.

"Work permit extension is the right thing to do," said Patty Torres, co-deputy director of the groups Make the Road PA & Make the Road Action in PA.

During the day, Torres, and other speakers, pushed for Biden to use his executive power to extend grant work permits to undocumented spouses and immediate family of United States citizens, Dreamers ineligible for DACA and long-term workers without a path to legal status.

Torres said that the move would enable families to stay together.

And, she noted, undocumented immigrants pay taxes and contribute to the economy.

According to information provided by the American Business Immigration Coalition, 63% of unauthorized immigrants in Pennsylvania are employed, and they work, primarily. in waste management, food services, construction, manufacturing and health services industries.

Organizers of the day said, not only those in need of work permits working, they have been paying taxes for years, even decades.

The coalition also claims 84% of Pennsylvania’s undocumented immigrants are working age, but without permits, they are unable to legally work.

Yet, the coalition noted that these individuals still pay $481 million in federal, state and local taxes and harness $3.4 billion in spending power.

By extending work permits, the coalition argues that annual tax revenue could increase by $13.8 billion and immigrants could be shielded from exploitation.

"Granting work permits to these groups would protect long-term undocumented immigrants from deportation and allow them to work with dignity and without fear," Coalition officials said in a statement ahead of Wednesday's event.