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President-elect Joe Bidens pledge to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants within the first 100 days of his administration is a total rebuke of the hatred, division and racism that personified Donald Trumps presidency and a major victory for our nation and for all New Yorkers.

The promise of seeing Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris take the oath of office is a significant relief for immigration advocates like me, who have been fighting for reform for years. However, we wont let this victory lull us into complacency; we will use this opportunity to push for significant, meaningful immigration reform.

We must unravel the outgoing administrations damage to immigrant communities and transform the broken system to create fair and humane processes for everyone. When all families can fully contribute, we will build a stronger economy and democracy that reflects Americas values.

Now is the time for immediate action and to hold both federal and state lawmakers accountable to their promises of reform and a safer future for all New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status.

This begins with ensuring Washington acts quickly on time-sensitive issues like providing permanent solutions for people seeking asylum, reuniting 666 children with their parents from whom they were ripped apart at the border, protecting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Temporary Protected Status program recipients, and reversing harmful visa and Muslim ban policies.

We must also turn this election momentum into advocacy that ensures immigrants are a priority in future COVID-19 relief efforts. Ultimately, this means comprehensive immigration reform passage to provide the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. with a pathway to citizenship something both Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and Biden have pledged to do. These are significant promises and we must work together to ensure they are fulfilled.

At the state level, New York Democrats have expanded their reach, winning the largest Senate majority in history. The voters have spoken, and Democrats in both legislative chambers must put their power to use by creating a safety net for undocumented individuals who were intentionally and wrongly excluded from the direct assistance of the CARES Act.

The state Legislatures freshman class brings newfound diversity to the Capitol and includes many pro-immigrant policy leaders. They must continue to pass state-based legislation to provide immigrants with opportunities and assistance in the absence of or lead up to action in Washington.

New Yorks immigrants make up 31 percent of our essential workforce. Many of these workers are undocumented and left out of state and federal assistance despite their contributions. Immigrants will also play a key role in the ongoing post-pandemic economic recovery efforts; no true recovery can exist without including them.

To do so, state lawmakers must immediately pass vital bills like the Empire State Licensing Act, which would provide all New Yorkers with access to professional licensing or necessary permits to enter the workforce, regardless of immigration status. Gov. Andrew Cuomo must sign the Protect Our Courts Act, which prohibits Immigration and Customs Enforcement from making civil arrests around New York courthouses. Also on the table is the Access to Representation Act, which would create a statutory right to representation for New Yorkers facing deportation who cannot afford a lawyer, among other bills that would benefit the immigrant community and all New Yorkers.

Immigrants are important members of our communities. Our nations ability to respond and recover from the coronavirus pandemic is not possible without them. I urge Cuomo, state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to act swiftly for a state recovery and protections that include all New Yorkers.

In the absence of federal leadership, we must lead. We can be better by doing better; its that simple.

Eddie A. Taveras is the New York state immigration director of FWD.us. https://www.fwd.us.

Read more:
Commentary: With victory, continue pushing for immigration reform - Times Union