U.S. Requires Comprehensive Immigration Reform - 0 views

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  #1 Fabricius Shea on 30 May 13

   

  The immigration debate is yet again dominating the headlines as members of Congress give attention to the long-neglected issue of solving our country's failed immigration laws.
  
  American lawmakers are actually in a crucial point. Enforcement-only regulation won't work and hasn't worked. Past efforts to fix this issue by focusing exclusively on border protection have failed miserably.
  
  In fact, during the past decade, the U.S. tripled the number of agents on the line, quintupled the budget, toughened our enforcement techniques and heavily fortified downtown access points.
  
  Yet throughout the same period of time, America saw record levels of illegal immigration, porous edges, a cottage industry created for smugglers and record forgers and tragic deaths within our deserts.
  
  We should learn from our mistakes, not repeat them. What we truly need is complete, bipartisan immigration reform that offers neatly with the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living and in the U.S.
  
  Most are relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful residents or employees holding jobs that Americans don't need. People already here who are not a danger to our security, but who work hard, pay taxes and are learning English, ought to be permitted to make permanent residence.
  
  Orderly Immigration Act and the Secure America, introduced by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and the others, includes the necessary aspects of reform and provides the basis for correcting our system. It combines strength with fairness, making a new temporary visa program that provides a legal movement of individuals.
  
  This "break-the-mold" worker program would notably diminish illegal immigration by making a legal method for people to enter the U.S., something that barely exists today. Current immigration laws supply 66,000 temporary visas for essential lesser-skilled workers and only 5,000 annual lasting visas, on no account meeting the annual demand for 500,000 such workers. immigration
  
  Moreover, reducing the back-log in immigration would get back individuals faster and ensure it is impossible that individuals would cross the border illegally in order to be with their family members.
  
  Congress and the government must act wisely because they weigh their choices. We've had enough "quick fixes" that have produced an already unworkable system worse. We cannot control our borders -; or enhance our national security -; until we enact comprehensive immigration reform.
  
  Deborah Notkin is president of the American Immigration Attorneys Association. - NU

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">The immigration debate is yet again dominating the headlines as members of Congress give attention to the long-neglected issue of solving our country's failed immigration laws. <br /> <br /> American lawmakers are actually in a crucial point. Enforcement-only regulation won't work and hasn't worked. Past efforts to fix this issue by focusing exclusively on border protection have failed miserably. <br /> <br /> In fact, during the past decade, the U.S. tripled the number of agents on the line, quintupled the budget, toughened our enforcement techniques and heavily fortified downtown access points. <br /> <br /> Yet throughout the same period of time, America saw record levels of illegal immigration, porous edges, a cottage industry created for smugglers and record forgers and tragic deaths within our deserts. <br /> <br /> We should learn from our mistakes, not repeat them. What we truly need is complete, bipartisan immigration reform that offers neatly with the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living and in the U.S. <br /> <br /> Most are relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful residents or employees holding jobs that Americans don't need. People already here who are not a danger to our security, but who work hard, pay taxes and are learning English, ought to be permitted to make permanent residence. <br /> <br /> Orderly Immigration Act and the Secure America, introduced by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and the others, includes the necessary aspects of reform and provides the basis for correcting our system. It combines strength with fairness, making a new temporary visa program that provides a legal movement of individuals. <br /> <br /> This "break-the-mold" worker program would notably diminish illegal immigration by making a legal method for people to enter the U.S., something that barely exists today. Current immigration laws supply 66,000 temporary visas for essential lesser-skilled workers and only 5,000 annual lasting visas, on no account meeting the annual demand for 500,000 such workers. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://sinema.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sinema-releases-statement-on-senate-immigration-bill">immigration</a> <br /> <br /> Moreover, reducing the back-log in immigration would get back individuals faster and ensure it is impossible that individuals would cross the border illegally in order to be with their family members. <br /> <br /> Congress and the government must act wisely because they weigh their choices. We've had enough "quick fixes" that have produced an already unworkable system worse. We cannot control our borders -; or enhance our national security -; until we enact comprehensive immigration reform. <br /> <br /> Deborah Notkin is president of the American Immigration Attorneys Association. - NU</div>

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