Representatives Escobar, Woodall, and Soto Introduce Legislation to Keep Families Together in the United States

Press Release

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Congressman Rob Woodall (GA-7), and Congressman Darren Soto (FL-9) introduced H.R. 8708, the American Families United Act. This bipartisan legislation is designed to preserve and promote family unity by amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to help millions of U.S. citizens reunite with their loved ones.

This legislation, introduced by former Congressman Beto O'Rourke, was inspired by Edgar Falcon, an El Pasoan and constituent of Texas' 16thCongressional District. Edgar married his wife Maricruz on the U.S.-Mexico border in 2013 after Maricruz was refused a visa. Since then, Edgar has traveled between his family's home in Ciudad Juarez and his job in El Paso, but his ability to commute has been strained by the coronavirus pandemic.

The American Families United Act would:

Protect the rights and interests of U.S. citizens in our immigration system, and
Provide the Attorney General and the Department of Homeland Security Secretary discretion to allow certain individuals to be reunited in the United States.
"For decades, families like Edgar's across the U.S.-Mexico border have been forced to live apart from one another due to outdated immigration laws," said Congresswoman Escobar. "Thousands of innocent children and families have been separated by a border between them, and we cannot stop fighting until every single family is reunited. The American Families United Act is a critical step in the right direction and will help bring loved ones together. Much more work remains in the 117th Congress and I look forward to achieving broader, bolder, and more comprehensive changes to our immigration system in the new year."

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