WASHINGTON, D.C. — As we prepare to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, we commend Representative Delia Ramirez (IL-03) and Senator Ed Markey (MA) for joining advocates to honor the legacy and champion the inclusion of all immigrant communities through the introduction of a resolution affirming immigrant inclusion and our shared history. Based in the principles of the Declaration of Dreams—an affirmative vision for shared commitment to justice, dignity, and transformation, this resolution’s goal is to advance equity, integration, and human rights for all immigrant communities.

At a time when immigrant communities face profound uncertainty, inhumane detention, deportation, and family separation, this resolution demonstrates the leadership and commitment required to uphold the promise of the American Dream.

“The United States draws its strength from unity and inclusion, not from fear and division,” said Senator Markey in a statement. “This resolution rejects hateful policies that terrorize our immigrant neighbors and calls on the Senate to invest in inclusion, celebrate the contributions of immigrants, and honor our nation’s human rights commitments. A just, equitable future requires fostering belonging for all who call our nation home.”

“The 250th anniversary of our country presents us with an opportunity to reflect on our enduring – BUT NOT YET FULFILLED – commitment to the principles of liberty and justice for everyone, regardless of legal status, origin, nationality, religion, or economic condition. It is an opportunity to prove that we recognize the contribution of immigrant communities, and affirm that they are seen, heard, and valued,” said Congresswoman Ramirez in a statement. “As Members of Congress, we are called to challenge and transform systems that deny our communities’ dignity and justice. That’s why I am proud to join Senator Markey and a coalition of organizations to introduce a resolution calling on Congress to ensure justice and dignity for immigrant communities.”

Said Nicole Melaku, NPNA executive director, “Immigrants are essential to the American story—we have shaped our histories, economies, and cultures while standing as guardians of democracy and human dignity. But as we approach the 250th anniversary of our founding, we must confront the truth: the promise of equality and justice remains unfulfilled for too many of our neighbors. Amid mass family separations, constitutional violations, and an immigration system weaponized against the very people who make this nation strong, this resolution is a vital step forward toward full inclusion. It affirms that the American Dream is not a privilege for the few—it is a right for everyone on this land. We thank Representatives Ramirez and Senator Markey for their leadership, and we call on their colleagues to support this resolution and to fight for the dignity that every person in this country deserves.”

Said Liz Sweet, executive director, Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), “As we celebrate 250 years of independence, we also reflect on who we are as a nation and the democratic values embodied in the Constitution. This resolution recognizes not only the role that immigrants have played and continue to play in building and strengthening our nation but also the ways that our society has failed to include immigrants as equal players in our society. We are deeply grateful to Senator Markey for introducing this resolution and for his continued leadership and support on issues impacting communities here in Massachusetts and around the country, and we call on his colleagues in the Senate to support this resolution and the American Dream that it embodies.”

Said Danae Kovac, executive director of HANA Center, “As our nation marks 250 years since its declaration that all people are endowed with certain inalienable rights, we are still fighting to make America’s founding promise real. Immigrant families are facing systemic barriers that shut them out of many essential services and an administration that has made them feel that a safe, dignified life is something they must earn. HANA Center joins NPNA and other partners in IL in affirming that a livable life–one with access to affordable healthcare, housing, safety, and full participation in civic and economic life–is a right, not a privilege for the few. It is a promise to everyone who calls this country home.”

The resolution is cosponsored in the House by Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Juan Vargas (CA-52). In the Senate, it has the support of Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The resolution is endorsed by the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition, Asian Law Alliance, Services Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), HANA Center, Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants, NAKASEC, Building Skills Partnership (BSP), OneAmerica, the Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (HICA), Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Promise Arizona, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, the Legal Clinic Hawaii, Arizona AANHPI for Equity, Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, Hawai’i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, Just Neighbors, the Workers Circle, Immigrants Rising, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project – Maine, African Communities Together, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Welcoming America, Quixote Center, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), Refugee Advocacy Lab, Refugees International, Muslim Advocates, Rainbow Railroad, Latino Policy Forum, Borderlands Resource Initiative, Just Detention International, California Community Foundation, Vision Y Compromiso, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Maine Immigration Rights’ Coalition, Lawyers for Good Government, Voices for Utah Children, Central American Resource Center – CARACEN of Northern California, Elena’s Light, Freedom Network USA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, and Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef).

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The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) is a multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition of over 76 of the nation’s largest immigrant and refugee rights organizations with reach across over 40 states. Together with our members, we advance immigrant and refugee equity and inclusion, build and expand immigration legal services and integration programming capacity, and drive campaigns that strengthen democracy through increased civic participation. See our website for more information at partnershipfornewamericans.org.