Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

Immigration is the foundation of the greatest resource in the United States, our citizens. We should do everything possible at the state level to assist legal immigrants in becoming U.S. citizens. I recall a family story about my great grandmother who came here from Portugal. She was asked during her citizenship test what are the colors of the American flag? and she responded, "Red, white, blue, and gold." The examiner responded, "Gold?" She smiled and pointed out the gold fringe on the flag behind his desk. She became a proud U.S. citizen and raised her family in East Falmouth.

While supporting legal immigration, I am opposed to offering preference or government benefits to illegal immigrants. The current proposal to extend in state tuition and other government benefits to illegal immigrants doesn't make sense.

If they graduate from a state college or university and are illegally in this country, it is illegal for them to get a job and pay taxes. That's just the wrong message we want to send to those going through the official channels for citizenship, and to our citizens in the Commonwealth whom are struggling to send their own children to college.

Source