PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP PRESS CONFERENCE

Faith Leaders and Essential Workers Call for Members of Congress To Create Pathway To Citizenship For Undocumented Essential Workers

 On the morning of Wednesday, March 10, 2021 our affiliate on the North Shore Essex County Community Organization (ECCO) in partnership with our affiliate Brockton Interfaith Community (BIC) hosted a public action and prayer circle calling on elected leaders to create a pathway to citizenship for essential workers and all undocumented immigrants.

At the event, community leaders and undocumented essential workers shared stories of the sacrifices they have made to care for their families and loved ones during the pandemic. A multifaith group of clergy led a blessing of the undocumented essential workers pronouncing them heroines, heroes and citizens of our communities and called on the government to follow suit by offering immigrant essential workers a pathway to citizenship. This action was the next step forward for MCAN after we began by inviting elected leaders throughout the Commonwealth to sign a letter of support for a national pathway. Our advocacy is in collaboration with our national partner, Faith In Action.

“Due to their immigration status, these community heroes are treated as outsiders and are forced to live in the shadows,” said Rev. Bernadette Hickman-Maynard of Bethel AME Church in Lynn and Racial Justice Organizer with ECCO. “We are gathering to publicly declare that they are essential and call on our elected leaders, who have also benefited from their contributions to society, to pass a pathway to citizenship.”

“Unfortunately, some lawmakers now want to exclude immigrant essential workers with criminal records from the legislation, said Rev. Ian Holland, Pastor at The First Church in Swampscott Congregational.  “Now, because we know that the criminal justice system is so racially-biased, we are calling on our elected officials to pass a pathway to citizenship for all essential workers.”