Chicago activists push for immigrants to receive work permits
CHICAGO (CBS) — Chicago area activists gathered to advocate for legal work permits for undocumented workers in Illinois and spoke about the urgency of the situation at a news conference to push a state initiative to President Joe Biden's desk.
They specifically want the president to take executive action and issue emergency work permits for all immigrants, new arrivals, and people who were here for years before the latest surge.
"My name is Simone Peña, and I'm 19 years old, and I am undocumented."
Simone Peña is entering her junior year at Harvard University.
"I'm deeply concerned about my future, and I always talk about my mom, like, "Hey, mom. I don't know if, like, my degree will be worth it," Peña said
She is concentrating on government. Now, she's speaking directly to President Biden.
"I want to do something and government, but because of that, I cannot fulfill that desire without fear," Peña said.
Her parents have supported her thus far. She works with them on the weekends when she's not at school.
"So, my dad works in construction. My mom works as a paramentor and also cleans houses. So on the weekends, we go and we clean buildings."
She came to the U.S. five years ago from Mexico and she wants to put her degree to good use.
"Learning in your education is our first value and is our primary focus, so don't worry. So they have supported me all the way through," Peña said.
Peña is one of around 400,000 undocumented immigrants, experts said, who are in Illinois waiting for documentation. The majority have been here for years before the latest immigration surge.
"By giving work permits, Illinois could be it'll help the economy. It'll help our families. It'll help our communities."
Ere Rendón has been fighting for the now-passed work permits for all resolutions. The Illinois General Assembly voted to urge President Biden to authorize work permits for long-term immigrant workers.
City data obtained by CBS 2 said that as of May 30, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services had accepted 7,625 applications for Chicago new arrivals.
Of those, just under 3,000 have actually received their work permits and Social Security cards. The group wants all undocumented people to be eligible.
"We have seen a decline in the number of new immigrants that are coming in, so we want to make sure that we are also able to serve the long-term undocumented," Rendón said.
Sources said Chicago has at least temporarily halted work permit workshops, in part because the demand has slowed, and few people are still eligible.