The Senate last week unveiled a proposal for comprehensive immigration reform designed to bring 11 million undocumented immigrants out of the shadows, reform the existing legal immigration system, strengthen border security and the entry-exit channels, as well as mandate an electronic employment verification system.
Such sweeping changes were all negotiated between a bipartisan group of eight senators in order to best address the concerns of both parties as well as of the country as a whole. We need to push forward on the bill to have amendments made promptly and to have a vote on it within the coming months.
As many as 1,000 people get deported from the country every day, even though we have a bill on the table that would drastically reform our immigration system and would stop such deportations. This is unacceptable. Another family in this country has gotten torn apart in just the time it takes to read this post.
With all the talk of strengthening our national security, one of the key steps in the pathway to citizenship in the proposed immigration bill is a detailed background check.
While the vast majority of the 11 million undocumented are here to work and provide a better life for their families, under our current system there is no way of knowing exactly who is here and what they are doing. We need to get all of our nation’s undocumented out of the shadows and into the system.
Some conservative legislators have suggested that we delay immigration reform right at the time that we as a nation need it the most. This is the time that we continue to push forward on immigration reform that works for everyone.
