Create a Path to Citizenship

In rural places, we have close ties to each other. We know our neighbors, and we see how immigrants are part of our communities and economies. Too many of us have experienced the pain of seeing hardworking neighbors separated from their families, tax-paying residents harassed and profiled by government authorities, and local businesses harmed because of a cruel immigration policy. We need an immigration system that has a safe, reliable, and functional path to citizenship. That’s good for our economy, and good for us all.

Citizenship is the great equalizer: it enables people who’ve lived and worked in this country for years, paid taxes, and contributed to their communities, to enjoy the same rights and privileges as those born in the United States. That deepens their ties to this country, opens up new opportunities, and enables them to contribute even more.¹

Notes

Rural communities urgently need updates to decades-out-of-date immigration laws to create stability for longtime neighbors, employers, and critical services and infrastructure. Immigrant community members contribute important work across industry, including health care, elder care, agriculture, education, construction, hospitality. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act creates a path to American citizenship for immigrant agricultural workers. Other important bills include: The Dream and Promise Act creates a way for community members who have grown up in local communities or lived here for decades to transition from temporary status to residency, and the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 ensures long-time community members have a way to apply for residency.