As Congress debates how and whether to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws, the BlueGreen Alliance, a group made up of environmental groups and unions, is advocating a bipartisan approach.

It recently released a statement on immigration reform, which asks that the president and Congress work to create a better system than the one that exists today.

“Pursuit of the American dream should not deprive workers of basic rights and force them to bear the brunt of environmental degradation along the way,” said David Foster, executive director of the BlueGreen Alliance. “Too often, those who are forced to live in the shadows of society are disenfranchised in the face of these economic and environmental injustices. For these reasons, the BlueGreen Alliance is announcing strong support of an equitable path to citizenship for millions of immigrants.”