For immediate release

8/8/22

Washington – This weekend, the U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), which rejected attempts to codify anti-immigrant policies such as Title 42 into law and included historic action on climate policy, prescription drugs and health coverage. The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), a multiethnic, multiracial coalition of 61 of the nation’s largest immigrant and refugee rights organizations working across 40 states, applauds Congress for rejecting anti-immigrant amendments and passing significant climate legislation, responding to the needs of the working class.

“NPNA commends Sen. Schumer and the Senate majority for ensuring this legislation responded to the needs of working people, lowering energy costs, and making healthcare more affordable for families,” said Nicole Melaku, NPNA executive director. “We thank Senator Padilla and Senator Menéndez for organizing a no vote strategy to thwart anti-immigrant amendments that would have harmed hard-working people. We could not put at risk a historic step forward while allowing Republicans to score political points by criminalizing immigrants.”

Despite several attempts to include language to harm immigrant and refugee communities including codifying Title 42 and increased funding for deportation infrastructure, the Senate ultimately rejected these efforts, thanks to swift advocacy from immigrant rights organizations, including many in the NPNA network. 

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, expected to pass in the House, will include $3 Billion in Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants, awarded directly to community based organizations to reduce pollution and build resilience to climate impacts. Numerous NPNA members including Unite Oregon, APANO, Florida Immigrant Coalition, and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition are among the growing number of organizations in our network currently engaged with their state governments and are actively planning climate resilience and adaptation projects in their communities. 

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The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) is a national organization that unites 60 of the most powerful state-level immigrant and refugee justice organizations across the nation. Our mission is to advance an immigrant equity and inclusion agenda at the state, local and federal level through policy, advocacy and services. The Climate Justice Collaborative, housed at NPNA, provides the network with capacity building for our members to organize at the intersection of immigrant and climate justice.