Where next on immigration?
June 28, 2007| By Nathaniel Ward
Conservatives have won this round of the immigration battle. But it’s important that we continue to make the case for a principled immigration reform that secures our borders, enforces the law, welcomes legal immigrants, and does not provide amnesty for lawbreakers.
Here’s what such a principled and realistic reform would look like, as outlined by Heritage scholars Matthew Spalding and James Carafano:
- Enforce the laws. If properly enforced, laws already on the books could discourage future illegal immigration and deter the employment of illegal immigrants.
- Gain back control of the southern border. Important border security initiatives are already underway and should be continued and fully funded.
- Emphasize legal immigration. Ensure legal immigration processes are “fair, orderly, and efficient—welcoming those who abide by immigration laws and denying entry and advantages to those who violate the law.” This means no amnesty.
- Create flexible legal opportunities to work in the United States. Reforming America’s visa laws to allow for a truly temporary and well-constructed worker program could help reduce the flow of illegal immigrants, serving our national security and our economy.
“This strategy is realistic and feasible in the short-term,” Spalding and Carafano explain. “Most of the tools required to beef up border security and pursue workplace enforcement have already been passed and mostly authorized by Congress.”
Liberals are already planning to push for amnesty yet again, so it’s important conservatives present their alternatives promptly. “It’ll come back,” Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said after today’s vote. “It’s just a question of when.”
Take our poll: Should Congress take up the “compromise” amnesty proposal again or consider other, principled immigration solutions?
Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation.