ACTION ALERT: EMAIL BODY
Email Subject Line: Take Action TODAY for Immigrant Women’s Health!
Dear ,
At the [NAME OF ORG ] we know that ALL women and families should have access to health coverage and care regardless of immigration status.
Health coverage is essential to ensuring that a woman can make decisions regarding her reproductive health and future and care for herself and her family with dignity and pride.
That’s why we are greatly disappointed that the Senate bill for immigration reform, the Border
Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act ( S. 744 ), excludes immigrant women and families from affordable health care options like Medicaid for up to 15 years or more while on the roadmap to citizenship. Fifteen years is a lifetime to a young woman and could be the difference between life and death for a woman suffering from undetected cervical or breast cancer.
But you can take action for the health of immigrant women and families today!
This week, the Senate will consider changes to the immigration reform bill. Please lift your voice to support efforts by Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono to improve access to health care and by
Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy to ensure LGBTQ families are included in immigration reform.
Additionally, please oppose efforts to further restrict affordable health, nutrition, and resources, or create unreasonable barriers to earning legal status .
Send an email to your Senator urging them to advance the health of aspiring citizens!
Immigrant women contribute to our society in many ways – immigration reform must not leave the health of our communities behind. Thank you for taking action to ensure that immigration reform treats immigrant women and families fairly by ensuring they can access the health care they need.
Sincerely,
[ORG REP]
NATIONAL LATINA INSTITUTE FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
50 Broad Street, Suite 1937 1901 L St NW, Suite 300
New York, NY 10004 Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 212-422-2553 | Fax: 212-422-2556 Phone: 202-621-1435 | Fax: 202-621-1427 www.latinainstitute.org

ACTION ALERT: EMAIL TO CONGRESS
Title of Email: Vote for the Health of Aspiring Citizen Women!
Dear Senator,
As the Senate Judiciary Committee considers amendments to the Border Security, Economic
Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744), we urge you to support efforts to ensure immigration reform is fair and includes the full rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
While S. 744 provides a roadmap to citizenship for the 11 million individuals currently without status, it shortsightedly denies access to affordable health care and family economic supports to individuals who pass all the requirements for lawful status. S.744 requires aspiring citizens, despite having lawful status, to wait up to 15 years or more before they can access affordable coverage or keep their family from being hungry. Fifteen years is a lifetime to a child and could be the difference between life and death for a woman with undetected breast or cervical cancer.
This is poor public health and fiscal policy.
We urge you to SUPPORT the following amendments to ensure S. 744 provides aspiring citizens the rights and responsibilities of citizenship so that they can fully participate in society:
Support

Sen. Hirono Amendment 12

Sen. Hirono Amendment 16

Sen. Hirono Amendment 17

Sen. Leahy Amendment 8

Sen. Leahy Amendment 6
We urge you to OPPOSE the following amendments that further restrict affordable health, nutrition, and resources, or create unreasonable barriers to earning lawful status:
Oppose

Sen. Cruz Amendment 2

Sen. Flake Amendment 4

Sen. Grassley Amendment 16

Sen. Hatch Amendment 5

Sen. Hatch Amendment 21

Sen. Hatch Amendment 22

Sen. Hatch Amendment 23

Sen. Hatch Amendment 24
NATIONAL LATINA INSTITUTE FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
50 Broad Street, Suite 1937 1901 L St NW, Suite 300
New York, NY 10004 Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 212-422-2553 | Fax: 212-422-2556 Phone: 202-621-1435 | Fax: 202-621-1427 www.latinainstitute.org


Sen. Lee Amendment 6

Sen. Lee Amendment 10

Sen. Lee Amendment 11

Sen. Lee Amendment 13

Sen. Sessions Amendment 10

Sen. Sessions Amendment 17

Sen. Sessions Amendment 18

Sen. Sessions Amendment 19

Sen. Sessions Amendment 25

Sen. Sessions Amendment 26

Sen. Sessions Amendment 27

Sen. Sessions Amendment 28

Sen. Sessions Amendment 29

Sen. Sessions Amendment 30

Sen. Sessions Amendment 31

Sen. Sessions Amendment 43
By doing so, you will work to ensure that immigration reform lives up to our greatest values of fairness, justice, and equality of opportunity and that immigrant women can fully contribute to their families and communities.
Thank you.
***
Background for Advocates (please do not forward to Senators)
In April, a bipartisan group of 8 Senators introduced the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) to address immigration reform. While the bill provides a road to citizenship for the 11 million individuals currently without status, it shortsightedly denies access to affordable health care and family economic supports to individuals who pass all the requirements for lawful status. As a result, these aspiring citizens in our communities must wait up to15 years or more before they can access affordable medical care or ensure their family is not hungry. We know that these restrictions will hit women and LGBTQ individuals disproportionately hard, as they are more likely to seek these programs for themselves and their families. Women are also less likely to have access to employer-sponsored coverage. And lower wages for immigrant women workers places costly private plans out of reach for many.
The Senate bill’s restrictions make it tougher for aspiring citizens to stay healthy and productive, and to provide for their family, avoid medical debt, and become fully integrated. Let’s be clear,
NATIONAL LATINA INSTITUTE FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
50 Broad Street, Suite 1937 1901 L St NW, Suite 300
New York, NY 10004 Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 212-422-2553 | Fax: 212-422-2556 Phone: 202-621-1435 | Fax: 202-621-1427 www.latinainstitute.org

the Senate bill’s restrictions on affordable health coverage, nutrition, and economic programs are political, not based on sound policy arguments, and are out of touch with the majority of
Americans who support access to health care and economic supports without any waiting periods for those on the road to citizenship.
Fortunately, there is an opportunity to improve this bill when the Senate Judiciary Committee votes on amendments to S. 744. Thanks to leadership of Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), the committee will have the opportunity to ensure that immigration reform provides a fair road to citizenship and the rights as well as responsibilities of citizenship.
Make sure the Senate hears that your organization SUPPORTS access to health care and family economic supports, and OPPOSES further restrictions on aspiring citizens and their families.
NATIONAL LATINA INSTITUTE FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
50 Broad Street, Suite 1937 1901 L St NW, Suite 300
New York, NY 10004 Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 212-422-2553 | Fax: 212-422-2556 Phone: 202-621-1435 | Fax: 202-621-1427 www.latinainstitute.org