U.S. Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), and Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Feb. 26 announced the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act at a virtual roundtable with essential workers.

This legislation would create an expedited pathway to citizenship for the over 5 million undocumented essential workers who kept Americans healthy, fed and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Citizenship for Essential Workers Act provides undocumented essential workers with a fast, accessible, and secure path to citizenship, beginning with immediate adjustment of status to legal permanent resident. This legislation is a critical part of a just and inclusive COVID-19 recovery, the legislators said. 

“Workers in health care, meatpacking, agriculture, public transit and other industries strive to ensure our neighbors have basic necessities and are cared for. During the pandemic, these are people who have risked their lives to keep our economy and country running,” Lieu said. “I’m proud to partner with Congressman Castro and Senators Padilla and Warren to announce the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act. This legislation provides an expedited pathway to lawful permanent resident status and eventual U.S. citizenship for over 5 million undocumented essential workers who have been a critical part of the COVID-19 response.”

“These heroes have risked their health and their lives to keep our communities safe and our economy moving and they have earned a pathway to citizenship,” Padilla added.