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LULAC ANALYSIS: THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS REMINDS AMERICA THAT PEOPLE ARE OUR STRENGTH

Photo Credit: Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

February 8, 2023
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davidcruz@lulac.org

Nation's Largest and Oldest Latino Civil Rights Organization Reminds Democrats and Republicans that Immigration Reform Makes Economic Sense

Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) issued the following statement on President Biden's State of the Union address.

"We applaud the energized, forward-looking tone and vision in the State of the Union message from the Biden Administration," said Domingo Garcia, LULAC National President. "Our country needs this outlook and optimism that President Biden championed. His focus on revitalizing manufacturing in our country, buying made-in-America products for publicly funded projects, expanding technology, investing in education, ensuring equity in health care, and taking care of our seniors are all vital. LULAC urges the Biden Administration and our Republican elected officials to come together with the same enthusiasm to ensure that millions of undocumented Latinos who have waited for years finally see immigration reform. Jose y Maria are the very backbone of labor, and it makes economic sense to fix a broken immigration system. We also need bipartisan support to provide drug treatment and go after cartel narcos who are bringing deadly fentanyl into our schools and neighborhoods," adds Garcia.

Photo Credit: KEVIN DIETSCH, USA TODAY

A young Latina named Mitzi Colin Lopez from West Chester, Pennsylvania, sat with First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. Mitzi's parents brought her to the United States from Mexico when she was three. She grew up only knowing the United States as her home. As a DREAMer, she applied for and received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2015. She has since graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She advocates for comprehensive immigration reform, and in 2021, Colin Lopez met the President to share her experiences as a DACA recipient.

"LULAC is pleased that First Lady Jill Biden chose to invite Mitzi Colin Lopez, a DREAMer from Pennsylvania, to highlight that DREAMers' futures are in limbo as the courts decide if they will put an end to the DACA program," said Lydia Guzman, National LULAC Immigration Chair. "LULAC stands with DREAMers, and we continue to advocate for a more permanent solution with a pathway to citizenship," added Guzman.

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About LULAC

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation's largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC's programs, services, and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting the critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/