Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

Issue Position: Immigration

Our immigration system is broken and our first priority must be to secure our borders. This is a homeland security issue first and foremost, but it is also about spending taxpayer dollars wisely and effectively. Unfortunately, increased spending of taxpayer dollars has thus far not produced adequate results. While traffic from areas where we have placed more enforcement has decreased, total border crossings have risen by 43%. Americans can not afford this type of performance from a security or an economic standpoint.

The solution to illegal immigration cannot end with border security alone. We must also decide what to do about the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants who currently reside in the United States. Wholesale deportation of all of these individuals is not a practical solution. The direct cost to law enforcement agencies to deport 12 million people, estimated at more than $200 billion over 5 years, would be prohibitive.

Additionally, the economic loss to communities where these individuals live and work would be substantial. According to the 2000 census, Arkansas ranks fourth in the nation for growth of Hispanic immigrants during the 1990s. I believe the majority of immigrants in Arkansas came to the United States because they wanted a job and a better life for their family. A good number of them are educated and wanted to take advantage of the opportunities afforded to them in the U.S. economy. While some of these individuals may have come here illegally, many of them have been here long enough now to become part of the fabric of our communities.

However, I do not support amnesty, or total and immediate forgiveness for illegal immigrants. To do so would undermine the rule of law in this country. Under legislation I recently supported in the Senate, an illegal immigrant would face an immediate $1000 fine, a security background check, application for a work visa, and an 11 year path to citizenship. Most immigrants who apply for citizenship now achieve that in five to six years. After staying continuously employed for six years, paying all back taxes, learning English, U.S. History and government, and paying another $1000 fine and application costs, the worker could apply for a green card. Their green card application will go to the back of the line behind all legal applicants waiting for green cards. Finally, this path is only available to illegal immigrants who were here before January of 2004.

America must get a handle on our immigration problem. I support a comprehensive approach which improves border security to stem the flow of illegal immigrants while also providing a path for undocumented immigrants to earn legal status after paying substantial fines and back taxes, going to the back of the line to apply and demonstrating established social and economic roots in the United States. I hope that Congress will pass immigration reform legislation this year. I believe this issue is too important to put off any longer and I will continue to work with my colleagues to craft a comprehensive common-sense approach to reforming our immigration system..

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