CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Several immigrant groups applauded the Biden Administration's decision to give nearly 500,000 migrants from Venezuela permission to temporarily live and work in the U.S. legally — but they said the courtesy should be extended to others, as well.
For more than 30 years, The Resurrection Project has worked with Chicago's immigrant community. Ere Rendon is vice president of immigrant justice for the organization.
“We believe every immigrant should be able to apply for a work authorization,” Rendon said.
She said the Biden Administration's decision is a good start, but the same opportunity should be granted to undocumented immigrants already in the country.
“There are, in Illinois, 500,000 undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S., for oftentimes, decades, and working without authorization,” she said. “[They] should be given the opportunity to apply for work permits.”
Rendon said she knows the plight of undocumented immigrants, personally.
“I, myself, have DACA,” she said. “I came into the USA when I was 4 years old.
Her parents both worked despite being undocumented, but Rendon says a work permit can be life changing.
“In 2012 I was able to get DACA and for 11 years have been able to work legally,” she said. “It's allowed me to think of a career and to build a career, buy a home, help my parents.”
Rendon added that allowing undocumented immigrants to get work permits like the migrants could solve some workforce issues. If undocumented immigrants are not allowed to work legally, she said the disparity could cause rifts in some communities.
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