Immigration
Summary of Position
Since its founding, the United States has stood as a beacon of freedom and a land of opportunity. The ancestors of almost every American citizen, barring those of Native American descent, came to this country in search of a better life for themselves and their families. Since then, immigrants have remained a vital part of our communities and strengthened our economy in California and across the nation. While Congressman DeSaulnier agrees that reforms to our immigration system are needed, he does not accept scapegoating, fearmongering, and xenophobia, which has precluded meaningful progress on the issue. Congressman DeSaulnier believes that the greatest nation in the history of humankind is capable of ensuring the well-being of its own citizens while simultaneously extending its arms to asylum-seekers, refugees, and immigrants seeking a better life.
By the Numbers
- Immigrants added an estimated $3.3 trillion to the U.S. GDP in 2021, including around $715 billion in California alone.
- In 2019, immigrants paid $492 billion in state, local, and federal taxes.
- 96% of the more than 1.5 million Dreamers in the U.S. are either working or in school.
- Almost half of all Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants and their children.
- Immigration had a positive effect on the wages and employment rate of native-born Americans between 2000 and 2019.
Things to Know
- Sponsor of the Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 16) and supports finding a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers
- Visited the Southern border in 2018 to see firsthand the impact of the Trump Administration's family separation policy
- Called for investigation into claims of abuse against immigration detainees at the West County Detention Facility in Richmond and across the country
Working for You
Led Effort to #SaveIsabel
Isabel Bueso came to the United States with her family legally from Guatemala to receive treatment for a rare genetic condition. Her participation in medical trials helped identify an effective, life-saving treatment, which the drug manufacturer says Isabel cannot receive in her home country of Guatemala. In 2019, the Trump Administration arbitrarily canceled deferred action, creating fear and anxiety for Isabel and others in similar situations that they would be deported. Congressman DeSaulnier authored a private bill in the House of Representatives to provide Isabel and her family permanent legal status (H.R. 785), which was signed into law by President Biden on December 27, 2022. Isabel and her family now have the peace of mind they need to focus on her treatment, not on their immigration status.
Relief for Dreamers
Dreamers and their families voluntarily registered themselves with the promise that if they followed the rules laid out, they would be safe. President Trump unilaterally changed the terms of that agreement and put hundreds of thousands of Dreamers at risk of deportation. To help restore their faith in the United States, Congressman DeSaulnier is proud to sponsor several bills that support Dreamers, including the Dream and Promise Act and the U.S. Citizenship Act, which would provide a permanent solution for Dreamers and their families.
Supporting Asylum Seekers
After the Trump Administration implemented its family separation policy, Congressman DeSaulnier made several trips to the Southern border to see firsthand how asylum seekers were being treated. With that firsthand knowledge, he has sponsored dozens of bills to reunite families who were separated and provide permanent protection for people seeking a better life in the United States, including asylum seekers.
For a downloadable copy of Mark's immigration work, click here:
