MEDIA RELEASE

Sen. Brian Schatz joined a bipartisan group of Senators in passing S.744, which will provide a pathway to citizenship for 11.5 million people living in the shadows, reunite families by clearing the visa backlog, and reduce the deficit.

“For those of us who live in Hawaii, this has special meaning. What makes our state so special is the ability to welcome people from all over the world to make a thriving economy, culture, and community. This vote is consistent with our values – we understand that the American Dream is rooted in immigration,” Schatz said.

“Studies show that immigration reform will strengthen our economy by boosting tourism visas, as well as reducing our deficit by almost $1 trillion over the next two decades. While this bill is far from perfect, we must find ways to strengthen the bill and provide the appropriate fixes over time,” he said. “The time is now for immigration reform and the House must move forward immediately with meaningful legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship.”