The controversial part in the debate over immigration reform is creating a path to U.S. citizenship for the undocumented immigrants living in the United States. The Pew Hispanic Center recently conducted a survey and according to it, most of the Latinos and Asian Americans want the country to grant them a relief from deportation. Deportation relief is the top priority for the immigrants living here without legal status.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, most of the Latinos and Asian Americans who were surveyed, are in favor of a path to U.S. citizenship that the Senate bill would create. They want the country to permit them to remain here legally without the threat of deportation as deportation is tearing families apart.
According to Helen Kim Ho, the executive director of the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center in Norcross, not all the undocumented immigrants want to become U.S. citizens. For them, a relief from deportation is the top priority.
A comprehensive bill for immigration reform was passed by the U.S. Senate and this bill is stalled in the House controlled by the Republicans. This bill would provide a path to U.S. citizenship. Immigration activists want the House to pass this bill and put the undocumented immigrants on a path to legal status.
Now that the U.S. Congress has wrapped up its session and has left for its holiday break, many believe that immigration reform will be passed in 2014. Meanwhile, immigration activists want the President to use his powers and sign an executive order. They want him to stop deporting the undocumented immigrants who are not criminals.
A strong majority of Asian Americans and Latinos believe that it is more important to be able to live and work legally in America without the threat of deportation. They believe that this is more important than winning a pathway to U.S. citizenship, according to Pew.
Around nine in ten Latinos and seven in ten Asian Americans, back the 13 year path to citizenship that would be created if the Senate bill is passed. Apart from that, several Americans support immigration reform and the citizenship pathway the Senate bill would create. Pew also states that not all the Hispanics want to obtain U.S. citizenship.