Immigration Reform
12.07.2009
I support a comprehensive approach to immigration reform that offers undocumented individuals in the United States an earned path to citizenship. An earned path to citizenship allows honest, industrious, hardworking individuals to work toward becoming citizens.
I understand that comprehensive immigration reform must hinge on emphasizing values of fairness, security, dignity and keeping families together. I understand that reforming immigration will build needed faith in the nation’s immigration system and stop unscrupulous employers from cheating the system by taking away otherwise decent jobs using undocumented workers who are at the same time cheated by such employers who take shortcuts that often threaten their security and safety. In short, we need comprehensive immigration reform for a stronger America.
Our country’s original immigrants, the “founding fathers,” recognized that our country should rely on the loyalty and labor of its individuals to keep the country safe and prosperous. But the current immigration system does not utilize loyalty and labor as it was meant to be utilized to strengthen our country.
The federal government must help new immigrants learn our language and laws, ensure equal opportunity and access for immigrants to participate in programs and services, and support state and local governments’ efforts to help integrate new Americans. I believe the authority to enforce the federal immigration law should lie solely with the federal government and that immigration judges should be given greater discretionary authority to waive unlawful presence bars to reunite families on a demonstration of hardship.
I also believe a long-term strategy involves working in partnership with other countries whose citizens immigrate to the U.S. in large numbers. Because Congress arbitrarily sets the level of legal immigration, it is often the subject of political compromise. Employment visa allocations to workers should be depoliticized and placed in the hands of an independent commission that can assess labor shortages and determine the number and characteristics of foreign workers to be admitted, with Congress’ approval.
Updated: April 13th, 2010
