Immigration Reform
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Our current immigration system is broken. We wouldn’t have 11 million undocumented people in this country if it wasn’t. We need long-term solutions that will benefit our nation and secure our future. I sit on the House Judiciary Committee which is working through different aspects of reform. The Senate has passed a comprehensive immigration reform proposal, but as it stands now, I do not think it addresses some of the real issues.
Immigration reform must provide for America’s needs by ensuring we have an adequate workforce to fill the jobs we have. That means increasing the cap on high skilled worker visas, and visas for workers in high-demand fields like agriculture, construction, and even the medical field. I strongly believe that we need to enforce current immigration laws. Until solutions are reached and reforms are passed, we have no choice but to enforce what’s on the books. I have supported several pieces of legislation to do so. Also, reforms must not reward unlawful behavior. I do not support amnesty. What I do support is an earned pathway to legal status, so long as certain requirements, like passing a criminal background check, are met. I also support a robust e-verify that allows employers to check if potential employees are legally permitted to work in the U.S.- and reduces undocumented workers reliance on in some cases unscrupulous employers. Finally- we must address the victims of our current immigration system. Whether it’s an undocumented worker reliant on a less-than-fair employer, or a child brought to America unlawfully through no fault of their own. |
