San Francisco, CA -- Today, the Sierra Club announced its support for an equitable path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
The Sierra Club Board of Directors, made up of elected volunteer leaders, has unanimously adopted the position:
Currently at least 11 million people live in in the U.S. in the shadows of our society. Many of them work in jobs that expose them to dangerous conditions, chemicals and pesticides, and many more of them live in areas with disproportionate levels of toxic air, water, and soil pollution. To protect clean air and water and prevent the disruption of our climate, we must ensure that those who are most disenfranchised and most threatened by pollution within our borders have the voice to fight polluters and advocate for climate solutions without fear.
The Sierra Club takes a position to support an equitable path to citizenship for residents of the United States who lack official documentation. America’s undocumented population should be able to earn legalization and a timely pathway to citizenship, with all the rights to fully participate in our democracy, including influencing environmental and climate policies. The pathway to citizenship should be free of unreasonable barriers, and should facilitate keeping families together and reuniting those that are split whenever possible.
“By establishing an equitable path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in America today, we can empower those in our society who are most vulnerable to toxic pollution to fully participate in our democracy, fight back against polluters and demand public health protections and clean energy solutions,” said Allison Chin, Sierra Club president.
“The 20 million Americans with family members whose legal status is in limbo share the Sierra Club's concerns about climate and the environment,” said Michael Brune, Sierra Club executive director. “Yet, this vital set of stakeholders and change agents has been denied civil rights. The Sierra Club is committed to partnering with all who share our urgent concerns about advancing our democracy and fighting the climate crisis.”