Smith-Wade-El and Hohenstein hold news conference to highlight legislation to create Office of New Pennsylvanians
Philadelphia House Delegation October 1, 2024
HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Joe Hohenstein, D-Phila., held a news conference to highlight their legislation, H.B. 1630, that would create an Office of New Pennsylvanians to support, attract and retain immigrants in the commonwealth.
“Generations of immigrants answered Pennsylvania’s welcoming call of opportunity and freedom, making our commonwealth into the powerhouse it is,” Smith-Wade-El said. “Right now, Pennsylvania is betraying its own values by scapegoating immigrant communities with punitive policies that are driving them out of the state although foreign-born workers comprise over 8% of our state’s workforce and pay $3.3 billion yearly in state and local taxes. As our population ages and many residents leave our state for other opportunities, we need skilled workers, entrepreneurs, consumers and community leaders to make sure that Pennsylvania continues to grow and thrive economically, culturally and socially.
“Pennsylvania needs an Office of New Pennsylvanians to ensure that these new residents are able to flourish in the commonwealth,” Smith-Wade-El said. “They need to know we have their back.”
“Pennsylvania is stronger when we welcome and celebrate immigration,” Hohenstein said. “Our collective ability to come together from all different backgrounds and perspectives for the betterment of the commonwealth is truly wonderful. That’s why it’s particularly unfortunate that so often our immigrant communities face the brunt of regressive and restrictive policies that harm their ability to prosper and deter further immigration. America is a nation of immigrants, and by establishing the Office of New Pennsylvanians we would continue to honor that legacy and ensure that Pennsylvania is able to grow and prosper.”
State Rep. Danilo Burgos, D-Phila., who chairs the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus, noted the importance of Latino immigrants to Pennsylvania’s economy and diversity during this Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
“Immigrants make our communities and our economy stronger,” Burgos said. “Thanks to the growth of the immigrant community in Pennsylvania, particularly the Latino community, our economy is stronger and our cultural diversity is vibrant. Our immigrant workforce makes Pennsylvania more competitive, for certain, in entrepreneurship and in their contributions to our healthcare and agriculture workforces and much more. The Latino Caucus is fighting for public policy issues such as providing driver's licenses for all, removing the requirement that you must be a U.S. citizen to teach in our public schools and removing archaic laws that are obstacles for immigrant advancement in the state. An Office of New Pennsylvanians would contribute significantly toward that goal.”
“As Pennsylvanians, we believe in the values of opportunity, inclusivity and community,” said state Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, D-Berks. “House Bill 1630 is about embracing those values by establishing the Office of New Pennsylvanians. Immigrants are an integral part of our workforce, economy and neighborhoods. This bill ensures that we not only welcome them but also empower them to succeed and contribute to the prosperity of our state. When we invest in people, we invest in a stronger, more vibrant future for all.”
Kate Firestone, Ph.D., membership director, Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, was one of the stakeholders who spoke in support of H.B. 1630.
"Pennsylvania is home to 559,000 naturalized citizens—a voting bloc larger than the population of Pittsburgh,” Firestone said. “This growing constituency is a clear indication that immigrant communities are not only crucial to our economy but are also an essential part of the democratic process. It is thus vital that state legislators center the needs and concerns of these voters in policymaking by passing welcoming policies that both address our state's population decline and attract skilled workers to fill critical labor shortages and generate new revenue."
“It’s by doing the right thing by immigrants that we got this beautiful, unstoppable America that we have today,” Smith-Wade-El said. “The bill is ready for a vote—let’s get this done.”