PRESS RELEASE
AAPCHO Statement on the Introduction of the U.S. Citizenship Act
Urges Inclusion of Immigrant Access to Healthcare
February 19, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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WASHINGTON – The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) today released the following statement on the introduction of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 by Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Representative Linda Sanchez of California. The U.S. Citizenship Act reflects the immigration reform priorities released by President Joe Biden on his first day in office. The bill would provide a path to citizenship to 11 million undocumented immigrants, including 1.5 million Asian Americans (AAs) and Pacific Islanders (PIs).
Adam Carbullido, AAPCHO’s director of policy and advocacy, said:
“AAPCHO is encouraged by the introduction of the U.S. Citizenship Act and the progress it will make to build a more just and welcoming immigration system. We welcome the leadership set by President Biden, Senator Menendez, Representative Sanchez, and their congressional co-sponsors to mend our immigration system and give a sense of security to all immigrants and their families, including many AAs and PIs.
“It is imperative, however, that any immigration bill that moves forward addresses the significant barriers immigrant families face to access health care and other essential needs. As a result of the previous administration’s immigration priorities, many families are still fearful of seeking the care that they need. The COVID-19 crisis clearly demonstrates that denying health care to anyone because of their immigration status jeopardizes the health of all communities. We look forward to working with Congress and the administration to extend health care, nutrition, and housing access to immigrants and their families and remove regulatory hurdles that make it more difficult for them to get the help they need. AAPCHO and our member community health centers stand ready to assist in these efforts.”
About AAPCHO
AAPCHO is a national association of community health organizations dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improves the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. For more information on AAPCHO, please visit www.aapcho.org.
Contact
Kristine Cecile Alarcon, (510) 671-5054, kalarcon@aapcho.org