Calling on Alaska’s senators for immigration solutions that work

Alaska is unique in many ways, but our state is not unique in the benefits it derives from immigrants. I’m calling on our Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan to stand up for our state and our nation in support of two bills that have already passed in the House: the American Dream and Promise Act, H.R. 6, and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, H.R. 1603. We sent our senators to Congress to act in the best interests of Alaska’s residents, and these bills will do exactly that. Passing the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act will strengthen our state’s families and its economy, as well as live up to our values.

By providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, young people who came or were brought to the United States as children, as well as recipients of Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, and Deferred Enforced Departure, aka DED, who are nationals of countries that were designated for protection due to environmental disaster or civil conflict, the American Dream and Promise Act would offer a sense of safety and security to people who have been productive members of our local and national economy, often for decades. Contrary to many misconceptions out there, currently they have no way to get citizenship, but our laws should provide that pathway.

The other bill, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, would offer a pathway to citizenship for undocumented agricultural workers, revise the H-2A agricultural worker program, and impose mandatory employment verification through the E-Verify program in agriculture. These improvements would stabilize the farm labor force and ensure greater food safety and security for our country. During the pandemic, it became incredibly clear how essential front line workers truly are — and nothing is more front line than our fields and farms where we grow our food. Farmers, businesses, and worker organizations agree on this bill — it is a huge step forward for our state and the nation as a whole.

I work as an immigration attorney in Anchorage. I know firsthand how important immigrants are to our local and state economy. Across our state, immigrants make up 8% of our population. Another 7% of Alaskans were born in the United States but have at least one immigrant parent. Immigrant workers composed 11% of our state labor force in 2018. Immigrants are an important part of our state’s economy. Immigrants work in all sectors of our economy and across a wide range of industries.

Beyond that, I also know that Americans overwhelmingly support providing permanent legal status and a path to citizenship for people without permanent status who have made this country their home and are working hard and contributing to its prosperity and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two-thirds of Americans favor allowing all unauthorized immigrants to obtain legal status and apply for citizenship, and even more of them support Dreamers and agricultural workers receiving citizenship.

Our state often touts the diversity of its population. If we want to do more than pay lip service to the idea of diversity, we need to recognize that immigrants are members of our community, Alaska is their home, and they belong here. That is why I urge Sens. Murkowski and Sullivan to understand that we want immigration solutions that unite and serve our state and national interest. Supporting H.R. 6 and H.R. 1603 is the right way forward.

Of course, I would like to see even more reforms, because our immigration laws haven’t been updated in more than a generation. Nonetheless, success on these bills is a step in the right direction that will build momentum for Congress to take further strides to modernize the rest of our immigration system, giving us a smart, workable plan forward.

Lara Nations is an immigration attorney and small-business owner who was born and raised in the Mat-Su area. She lives in Anchorage with her family.

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