Issue Position: Immigration Reform

Issue Position

The time to fix this antiquated system is long overdue.

The current broken immigration system stifles economic growth, encourages rather than discourages overstaying visas, adds to the welfare rolls, and fails to ensure a secure border. Our immigration system needs to be fixed because it has created a situation where over 11 million undocumented immigrants are living in the shadows. The time to fix this antiquated system is long overdue. I favor passage of an immigration reform package that commits the resources needed to secure the border, modernizes and streamlines our current guest worker and visa system, and creates a tough, but fair, legalization framework for individuals who are already here.

America was founded and grew prosperously based on providing opportunities and fairness for all who chose to settle here. The idea was simple: if you are willing to work hard, you can be successful in America. It is our responsibility to keep that dream alive.

The vast majority of immigrants who have come here recently have done so to provide better lives for themselves and their children, just as waves of European immigrants did throughout the last two centuries. They are risk-takers and they are committed to hard work. With legal status, they will contribute to our economy as taxpayers, consumers, workers, and business owners.

Many of them also brought young children with them - children who grew up as Americans in America, lacking only the proper legal status. I support allowing the DREAMers -- the best and brightest of these young people -- to remain in the only homeland they truly know and love.

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