WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky today released the following statement on H.R. 4437, an immigration bill introduced this week by House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner:

America’s immigration system is broken. Eleven million undocumented immigrants are living in the United States. Many risk their lives and separate from their families in order to live in the shadows of American society. Throughout our history, immigrants have contributed to the economic and cultural life of our diverse nation.

Congressman Sensenbrenner’s bill is unrealistic and only addresses the border and enforcement side of America’s immigration challenges. It provides no opportunities for the millions of undocumented immigrants already in the United States, even those who work hard, are learning English, and are paying billions of dollars in taxes.

For “the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to be free,” Congressman Sensenbrenner’s bill offers a clear message: America’s doors are closed. The American dream is nothing more than a dream. Congressman Sensenbrenner’s bill could threaten immigrants and separate families who have been in America for years, working hard and asking for nothing more than the right to continue their work and raise their families.

I support the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act because it strikes the right balance between protecting our borders and our national security, and meeting the needs of hard-working immigrants and American workers. The Sensenbrenner bill falls far short of that standard.