Press Release - McCain, Kennedy, Flake, and Berman Praise Work of Independent Task Force on Immigration and America's Future

Press Release - MCCAIN, KENNEDY, FLAKE, AND BERMAN PRAISE WORK OF INDEPENDENT TASK FORCE ON IMMIGRATION AND AMERICA'S FUTURE

Today, Senators John McCain and Edward M. Kennedy and Representatives Jeff Flake and Howard Berman commended the report of the Independent Task Force on Immigration and America's Future -- Immigration and America's Future: A New Challenge. This bipartisan task force co-chaired by former Senator Spencer Abraham and former Congressman Lee Hamilton has made recommendations that integrate economic, security, and social concerns. The task force sought to build for the future upon a firm foundation of America's values and traditions of successful immigration, the findings are available at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/ITFIAF/index.php

Senators McCain and Kennedy and Representatives Flake and Berman issued the following joint statement:

"Throughout our history, immigrants have helped to build our country and make us strong. Those members of Congress who support an enforcement-only approach may think it is good politics. But after careful study, the Independent Task Force came to the same understanding as President Bush, a bipartisan majority in the Senate, and the American people: Immigration is a serious and complex issue that calls for thoughtful and serious solutions and a comprehensive approach. A comprehensive solution to immigration reform is neither conservative nor liberal, Republican nor Democrat but a vital necessity for America"

A comprehensive approach to immigration reform recognizes that we must strengthen and modernize enforcement - at the border, at our airports, and in the workplace - and to do so effectively we must provide a path for the 12 million undocumented immigrants to earn the privilege of remaining here legally. Integral to our enforcement efforts will be a program to allow needed immigrants to come here legally and for our employers to hire them. Former Secretary Ridge recently wrote, "even a well-designed, generously funded enforcement regime will not work" unless it also includes a temporary worker program and a solution for the current undocumented."

http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=Newscenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=2405