Our Bureau
Washington
President Joe Biden proclamed June 2024 as National Immigrant Heritage Month. He called upon the people of the US to learn more about the history of the Nation’s diverse and varied immigrant communities and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities that remind of the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In the proclamation he mentioned to honor the contributions and celebrate the remarkable courage of Nation’s immigrants, whose hopes and dreams helped found this country and continue to push us forward today.
He said, “Immigrants keep our economy strong and help drive the success of our Nation. They ensure our safety as first responders and military service members; they maintain the health of our communities as doctors and nurses; they are there for our family members and children as educators and care workers; they feed and fuel our population as more than half of the Nation’s farmworkers; they are one in five of our business owners; and they are leaders in technology, philanthropy, and media. All told, they contribute hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes each year and create millions of jobs. The ingenuity, grit, and perseverance of immigrants are driving forces in every aspect of American life.”
Biden further said, “On day one of my Administration, I sent a comprehensive plan to the Congress to fix our broken immigration system. It aimed to expand legal pathways of immigration; provide protections for Dreamers and others who contribute to this country; and address the violence, corruption, and instability that leads many to flee their homes. My Administration has worked tirelessly to strengthen our legal immigration system and support those who are here. We have rebuilt the United States Refugee Admissions Program, which once again serves as a beacon for displaced persons around the world. We continue to vigorously defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, which has allowed more than 800,000 Dreamers to live and work in the place they call home, against attacks in the courts.
The proclamation states that as Americans, we have an obligation to ensure that everyone feels safe and respected. We must give hate no safe harbor. But too often, immigrant communities remain the target of bias and discrimination. That is why my Administration is fighting against the rise of all forms of hate, Biden said.
