Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

We are and always have been a nation of immigrants. That fact is one of the things that makes America a unique and great nation. During my time in the Army and in ministry, I have witnessed first-hand the value added to our country and our local communities by immigrants. Immigrants add an estimated $2 trillion dollars to our economy each year. Forty percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children.

However, our immigration policies are far from perfect. Certain elements of our immigration laws require significant reconsideration, which is why we must pursue comprehensive immigration reform in an effort to address the specific problems in our current policies rather than for the purpose of scoring political points.

First, we must immediately address the status of DACA-eligible individuals. These remarkable young people, appropriately known as Dreamers, were brought to the United States by their parents as children through no fault of their own. The decision to enter the United States improperly was not theirs. Some came at such a young age and have been here so long, that they have no memories of the countries where they were born. They have been educated in our schools. Many speak English as their primary language. Ninety-seven percent of them are either students or in the workforce. They are members or veterans of our armed forces. They are college students and homeowners and entrepreneurs. They are not a drain on our economy--quite the opposite. They pay taxes, purchase goods and services as consumers, and help to create jobs. They are exactly the people we would otherwise be encouraging to immigrate to the United States! They have earned legal status and a pathway to citizenship.

Congress' refusal to permanently resolve the status of our Dreamers, despite legislative solutions that have broad bipartisan and public support, displays more than a lack of common sense. It displays a gross lack of basic human compassion and courage.

After we address the status of our Dreamers, we must expand avenues for legal immigration, and we must do so in a manner that ensures immigrants' skills are well-matched to the jobs that our economy currently demands. Finally, we should consider new border security measures, but we must do this in a responsible fashion. For example, Senators John McCain and Chris Coons introduced bipartisan legislation last year that would have authorized the Department of Homeland Security to study border security and submit an improvement plan to Congress. Their bill did not simply throw $25 billion of taxpayer money toward the construction of a border wall that will be both expensive and ineffective, nor does it deploy our already over-extended military to protect us from a threat that does not exist.

Our history is one of welcoming immigrants. We are stronger as a result. Congress must work together--across party lines--to adopt immigration policies that reflect our national values and our history as a nation of immigrants.

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