Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Senate Judiciary Committee for Advancing Bipartisan Immigration Bill

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WASHINGTON — Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-5 to move a long-awaited bipartisan immigration reform bill to the full Senate:

“Immigration reform is one of the defining civil and human rights issues of our time. That’s why yesterday’s bipartisan vote to advance a compromise bill to the full Senate is a welcome step forward for the nation.

To be clear, civil rights advocates did not get a perfect bill; we got a compromise bill that promotes the core principle of advancing a roadmap to citizenship for more than 11 million undocumented immigrants.

We applaud the efforts of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Chairman Leahy, who expertly led and managed a fair mark-up in regular order. Leahy should be especially commended for standing up for civil rights and civil liberties. The leadership demonstrated by Senators Durbin and Schumer was also critical in clearing this important hurdle. The pressure on this committee to sink this legislation was ferocious – yet the committee worked together to advance a strong compromise bill. 

We know that this is one step among many as we continue to advocate for fair and inclusive immigration reform. As we approach the full Senate vote and the upcoming House consideration, there will be some who wish to poison this coalition; they will fail.

We will continue to stand together and advance a bill that provides fair enforcement, restores due process, keeps families intact, and protects the rights of both native-born and immigrant workers. Our nation’s immigrants, our economy, and the American people have waited long enough.”

Wade Henderson is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.