Immigration

A proud son of immigrants from Mexico, Alex knows firsthand the enormous contributions that immigrants make to our communities and our economy, and he has prioritized immigration reform since the day he was sworn in to the U.S. Senate. As the first ever Latino to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, he is leading the fight for immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship for immigrants.

The very first bill Alex introduced as a U.S. Senator would create a pathway to citizenship for the immigrant essential workers who have bravely worked on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2022, he joined farm workers picking crops to experience how strenuous the work is and to hear their perspective on what a pathway to citizenship would mean for them. Alex is also the lead sponsor of a bipartisan bill to provide a pathway to citizenship for “Documented Dreamers”—the children of long-term visa holders who may face deportation after age 21 without a green card or other immigration status. And for the brave men and women who choose to serve our country in uniform, Alex has introduced legislation to ensure that veterans are not subject to deportation.

Recent News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, co-led 126 lawmakers, including 16 other Senators and 110 Representatives, in urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to withdraw its proposed public charge...
Senators express concerns over January 1 implementation — without proper notice — of $250 America the Beautiful non-resident annual passes and $100 non-resident fee for highly visited national parks, including Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks WASHINGTON, D.C. —...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2026 (NDAA) vote to call on his Senate colleagues to provide a check on President Trump’s reckless deployment...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, co-led 126 lawmakers, including 16 other Senators and 110 Representatives, in urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to withdraw its proposed public charge...
Senators express concerns over January 1 implementation — without proper notice — of $250 America the Beautiful non-resident annual passes and $100 non-resident fee for highly visited national parks, including Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks WASHINGTON, D.C. —...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2026 (NDAA) vote to call on his Senate colleagues to provide a check on President Trump’s reckless deployment...
Amid troubling pattern of violence by ICE and CBP officers, federal law provides no statutory right to sue federal law enforcement for violating constitutional rights WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the Trump Administration conducts widespread and indiscriminate immigration enforcement operations in...
Work permits allow noncitizens with legal status to work, but long USCIS processing times are placing U.S. employers and workers at risk WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined Senator Jacky...
Pentagon’s requested budget for 2026 indicates the Defense Department plans to spend at least $5 billion more for southern border operations alone Cover Letter to the Pentagon (PDF) | Text of Report (PDF) WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla,...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined a bicameral spotlight forum to denounce the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) unlawful arrests of U.S. citizens. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in introducing...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, demanded answers from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership on the hiring...