WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden on Thursday urged Congress to pass a law that would provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship for young people brought to the country illegally as children, using a White House movie night to underscore his support for Latinos.
Biden and his wife, Jill, hosted a showing of “Flamin’ Hot,” a film directed by actress Eva Longoria, on the South Lawn of the White House for a crowd that included the film’s cast, Latino leaders, and “Dreamers,” who were not born in the U.S. but came to the country as children and know it as their home.
“We have to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers,” Biden said. “I’m going to continue to call on Congress to pass this bill that does just that.”
There has not been sufficient support in Congress to advance immigration reform.
The film screening is the second social event on the South Lawn that the White House has put on this week to highlight its support for minority communities.
On Tuesday, Biden hosted an outdoor concert to celebrate Juneteenth during which he denounced racism as a “still too powerful force” in the country.
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Black and Latino voters are important constituencies for Biden, who is running for re-election 2024.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Sonali Paul)