America’s history is rooted in the strength of immigrants. New Yorkers have a special understanding of how America’s melting pot can create a rich tapestry of ethnic, cultural and religious traditions that infuse vitality into the economic and social aspects of our communities. Throughout her time in Congress, Congresswoman Maloney has made immigration issues a priority, and she strongly believes that by protecting the rights of workers, securing the border, and modernizing our pathway to legal immigration, the hope that we can fix a broken system will become a reality. Congresswoman Maloney will continue to fight in Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship, keep families intact, create a level playing field, and improve the nation’s economy.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Congresswoman Maloney is a strong proponent for comprehensive immigration reform. That is why she was an original cosponsor of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. This comprehensive immigration reform bill was a bipartisan effort to address the deep rooted immigration problems in this country. The bill includes provisions to enhance border security, protect our workers, unite families, and offer hardworking immigrants an earned pathway to citizenship. It also reforms our visa programs and our interior enforcement. While the bill passed in the Senate, it was never brought to a vote on the House floor. Congresswoman Maloney continues to support this legislation and advocate in Congress to get it passed.
Providing a Pathway to Citizenship: Many immigrants came to America with their parents at a young age and have lived here as contributing members of society for many years. We often refer to these children as “Dreamers”. Congress should work to provide these young law abiding residents a path to citizenship. That is why in 2010 Congresswoman Maloney voted for the DREAM Act, intended to establish a path to citizenship for the Dreamers. In addition, she has cosponsored many pieces of legislation that would provide immigrants a pathway to citizenship upon high school graduation by going to college or joining the military. She continues to work in Congress to ensure these immigrants have access to education and equal opportunity.
Keeping Families Together: Many families are separated when immigrant parents are deported, separating them from their children who were often born in the United States and are therefore U.S. citizens. In an attempt to implement family-based immigration policies, Congresswoman Maloney cosponsored the Reuniting Families Act, which would increase the number of visas given to immediate family members of U.S. citizens.
Improving the Nation’s Economy: Immigrants have played an important role in the growth of the United States’ economy since the foundation of the country. Congresswoman Maloney is in favor of legislation that will allow immigrants to seek high level employment. She supports immigration reform that would require immigrants to register for legal status as part of a comprehensive approach to integrate more people into the economy as workers, taxpayers, and consumers.
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More on Immigration
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY-12) joined House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-N-10) and more than 190 of her colleagues to introduce Keep Families Together Act, H.R. 6135, a bill which will stop the Trump Administration’s cruel policy of family separation at the border.
“We need to stop this inhumane, un-American policy immediately. Speaker Ryan needs to bring the Keep Families Together Act to the floor immediately for a vote. This cruelty is a new low, even for this administration.
Rep. Maloney speaks at a rally outside of the Elizabeth, NJ detention center after meeting with fathers who were separated from their families at the border.
A group of Democratic lawmakers visited an immigrant detention facility in New Jersey on Father’s Day to speak with asylum-seekers who have been separated from their families under a new Trump administration policy.
The Trump administration's decision to separate children from their families as a way to curb illegal immigration is adding fuel to an already fiery debate over immigration.
A group of House Democrats converged on an immigration detention facility in New Jersey on Sunday, days before a planned vote by House Republicans next week. Meanwhile, Trump administration officials alternately took credit and sought to distance the administration from the family separation policy.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, requested that Oversight Chairman Trey Gowdy hold a hearing to investigate the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to enact an official policy of forcibly separating immigrant children from their parents at the border.
Ahead of tonight’s State of the Union address by President Donald Trump, some Congress members from Queens have announced that they will bring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients as their guests.
WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), House Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, is continuing to fight for a permanent DACA fix so that Dreamers can live their American dream. She argues that not only is the moral thing to do, but it is also in our nation’s economic self-interest.
Washington – Today, following a hearing held by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) on how to spur economic growth by reversing what has been called “The Startup Slump,” House Ranking Member Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) released the following statement:
House Democrats introduced a motion Monday to force a vote on the bipartisan Dream Act, legislation that would provide a permanent solution to allow between 1.2 million and 1.8 million young undocumented immigrants brought here as children to remain in the United States legally. The Democrats are using a procedure called a discharge petition which requires a majority of members to bring the legislation to the floor for a vote.