Immigration Reform

Reforming our immigration system is long overdue. Our current laws, regulations, and enforcement do not recognize the importance of sound immigration policies to our economy and national security. We cannot afford to wait any longer to reform our immigration system in a comprehensive way.

Immigration is one of the great strengths for our nation. People from all over the world have come to our country because they see opportunity in America and a chance to build a better life for themselves and their families. The hard work and talent of immigrants have helped grow our economy and have strengthened our country for all Americans.

Legal immigration is not an obstacle to growth, but rather supplements our economic competitiveness and American jobs by attracting needed workers, high-skilled entrepreneurs, and investors. This can all be accomplished while keeping families together in a way that is consistent with American values.

I have advocated on behalf of immigrants through supporting key legislation and other advocacy efforts during my time in Congress:

• Demand Accountability in Immigration Detention: To address our broken immigration detention policy, I have introduced the Accountability in Immigration Detention Act, which would create enforceable standards and improve conditions at immigration detention centers while encouraging alternatives to detention and the repeal of the detention bed mandate. The mandate is burdensome and adds to the unnecessary incarceration levels of immigrants into detention centers.
• Expressed Concerns with Department of Homeland Security & Immigrations and Customs Enforcement: Sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Johnson regarding targeted enforcement actions conducted by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across the country. These raids specifically target women with children who fell under the “priorities” list of DHS, including individuals who arrived in the country after March 1,2014. The letter discussed the lack of due process afforded to many of these families, as well as the lack of transparency on the part of DHS/ICE.
• Ending Derogatory Depictions of Immigrants: Co-sponsored the Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act to remove offensive and inflammatory language characterizing immigrants as “aliens” from federal law. Instead, this bill changes the term to “foreign national”.
• Ensuring an Accessible Justice System: With our complex immigration system, many refugees from Central America are facing roadblocks and confusion when trying to navigate the justice system in the US.  For that reason, I co-sponsored the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2016. Under current US law, there is no right to appointed counsel in immigration removal proceedings. 70 percent of families with no representation are deported. This bill would alleviate this burden and require the government to appoint counsel, require the DHS to establish procedures to ensure legal orientation programs are available, create a case management project for court appearance rates, and require DHS to submit reports annually to Congress.
• Fighting to Keep Families Together: Signed an Amicus Brief to the U.S. Supreme Court expressing that President Obama’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs are authorized by existing laws passed by Congress. Once implemented, DAPA and DACA will be able to bring millions of families and children who are part of our communities and live in constant fear of deportation out of the shadows
• Reuniting American Families: Co-sponsored the Reuniting Families Act, legislation that addresses many of the donut holes with immigrants, including Korean Vets and family immigration backlogs. The bill increases immigration visas for unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. It also increases annual per country (10% of annual total) and dependent area (5% of annual total) limits for employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visas.
• Opening Doors for Immigrants: Co-sponsor of The American Dream Employment Act, allowing DREAMers to work on Capitol Hill.
• Securing Citizenship for Adopted Children: I introduced the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2016 with Representative Trent Franks. This legislation corrects the gap in current law by allowing access to U.S. citizenship for all individuals who were foreign-born and lawfully adopted by U.S. families. Unfortunately, not all adoptees were able to benefit from the legislation when it originally passed, as it was limited to apply only to minors age 18 and under. Adopted individuals should not be treated as second class citizens just because they happened to be the wrong age when the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 was passed.

The immigration system in the United States is broken and needs to be reformed. I am dedicated to fixing the system. Allowing for immigrants to become productive members of our society will only strengthen our communities, our economy, and our country's future.

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