A framework for bipartisan immigration reform was unveiled in the Senate last week.
While no specific bill was introduced as part of this announcement, the proposal aims to address the problem in a comprehensive manner. Increasing border security, providing a path to citizenship, creating an effective employment verification system to prevent identity theft and end the hiring of unauthorized workers are all included.
In terms of the content, I was pleased to see the proposal included employment verification and resources for border control. However, the way we deal with illegal immigrants and their economic impact is a big question that needs to be addressed.
I commend my colleagues for seeking to address this important question, but I believe we are going to have numerous in-depth conversations about the proper course of action before we see this framework turned into legislation.
In the meantime, some of these outlined proposals can be accomplished now with current legislation. For instance, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) will just reintroduced his E-verify bill, a bill that I am co-sponsoring again, which would take care of the employment verification system aspect of this larger comprehensive proposal.
One thing is certain: if the President insists on amnesty we aren’t going to get very far. Amnesty is a non-starter. We must not reward people for breaking the law. For that reason, I will continue to oppose amnesty proposals.
We have already begun discussing ideas about how to move forward in terms of addressing the country’s illegal immigration problem. I look forward to continuing this conversation and working toward a viable solution.
