a country better
than the one we were left.
my bronze-pounded chest
we will raise this of the
world into a wondrous one.
We will rise from the
gold-limbed hills of the West.
wind swept to Northeast
where our forefathers first
realized the revolution.
We will rise from the
lake-rinsed cities
of the Midwestern States.
We will arise from
We will rebuild,
reconcile and recover
in every known nook
over our nation
in every corner called our
battered and beautiful.
When the day comes, we
step out of the shade,
aflame and unafraid.
The new dawn blooms
as we free it.
For there is always light
if only we're brave enough
to see it, if only we're
brave enough to be it.
Welcome back.
That was the amazing Amanda
Gorman, Youth Poet Laureate.
Now among the initiatives of
the new Biden administration
is a plan for
immigration reform.
Politicians on both sides of
the aisle have been promising
immigration reform for years,
but little has been done.
Biden is hoping to change that.
Through executive orders,
President Biden, halted
deportations for 100 days,
as he reviews the policy.
He also eliminated the
so-called Muslim Ban
and ordered construction of
the border wall to cease.
But his biggest move is
the U.S. Citizenship Act
which would offer a
pathway for citizenship
undocumented residents.
It would allow them to apply
for temporary legal status.
After five years, they could
apply for a green card.
that they could apply
to become U.S. citizens.
The bill would also
allow dreamers and
those in the country
under a temporary
to apply for green
cards immediately
and for citizenship
in three years.
They would also be required
to pass a background check
funding for border security
and increases aid to
Central American countries.
After the bill was introduced,
Executive Director of the
Florida Immigrant Coalition
and asked her if this
was really the right time
to introduce immigration reform.
Absolutely, it's time
to turn the page on
not just the last four years,
but a couple of decades
of criminalizing American
workers, Florida families.
And so we really need
to see this light
at the end of the tunnel.
Absolutely, last night many
Floridian families slept
with a little bit of hope
in their heart hoping that
they could finally come
out of the shadows.
But this bill is controversial
from a Republican standpoint
because of what they see
as blanket amnesty for
nearly 11 million people.
How would you address
that issue that those
they're concerned that basically
you're rewarding bad behavior.
I think that no matter
what gets introduced
it's gonna be framed as amnesty.
And the reality is the
vast number of Americans
and voters poll after poll
show that they want a pathway
and an orderly way to
recognize that our economies
and our communities are bettered
by immigrants and immigration.
And so...
I think that we
need to not hijack,
let a few hijack what's
good for the many.
And there's been for
for immigration reform.
It's just some extremists
who are blocking what's good
not just morally, but for
our economies and our future.
Rick Scott, put out a statement.
He is come out strongly
against the legislation.
And this is
He describes it as, "A
radical immigration agenda
"of amnesty and open borders."
What would you say
to Senator Scott?
hurts our national security,
It hurts, the status quo
right now does not serve us.
And it comes at a very high
moral and financial cost.
We need to support American
families to prosper,
to be as productive
as they can be,
license and a work permit,
to contribute and create,
and grow the economy.
So they offer no solutions,
Jim, like no response.
have been deporting dreamers.
They don't care that they're
exploiting farm workers working
from day up to sun down,
providing an essential
service which is our food
and food is a national
security issue.
The ability to have local food
is important for
our communities.
So they're not providing
solutions or responses.
We cannot continue more
if you don't care about
democracy and you don't care
about our values and our
morality, you should care about
the fact that it's tax dollars
these communities.
Critics also make
the case that given
the hard economic times we're in
with so many Americans
out of work that creating
this legislation which would
essentially have
that Americans could
potentially do.
And that in the midst
of a COVID crisis
and an economic crisis
where you have almost 11
million Americans out of work
the priority should be finding
jobs for those Americans
not for clearing a
pathway to citizenship
for folks who are in this
country without documentation.
The people who say