Fixing our broken immigration system is the right thing to do for families and one of the best things we can do to boost economic growth. We should have a system that focuses on deporting violent criminals, not breaking up families. It's time for Congress to act.
Whether it's from farmers in northwest Connecticut or from high-tech manufacturers across the state, I hear time and time again about the harmful impact our badly broken immigration system has on our state and our country's economy. I support comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders, protects our workers, keeps families together, and creates an earned path to citizenship.
One of my greatest responsibilities as your representative is ensuring our national security and the safety of American families. Rash proposals to ban all visitors because of their religion or block all desperate refugees fleeing violence and terror would not make us safe. On the contrary, they reinforce ISIS and other terrorists' propaganda and endanger the values we hold dear as Americans. We should instead focus on the most likely threats to our homeland if we are serious about improving our national security. That's why I voted to strengthen our border security by better ensuring that travellers entering the country without a visa do not pose a security risk. I also supported additional screenings of those who have travelled to countries of concern and am working to ensure that the vetting process for refugees is rigorous and thorough.
I stand ready to work with my colleagues across the aisle and the Administration to enact improvements that make our immigration system more fair, humane, and secure.