Principles for Immigration Reform

Reform must be comprehensive.  The immigration system as a whole is broken; piecemeal fixes alone will not work and have not worked in the past.  At minimum, a comprehensive solution must address the just and humane treatment of immigrants, including: regularizing the status of unauthorized immigrants living in the United States; adequately responding to the needs of our country regarding the future flow of immigrants; and effectively and safely enforcing any new law that is passed.  Each piece must work in sync with the others if we want a system that will properly function over the long term.

 

Focus on family unity.  Creating more employment-based visas should not come at the expense of family-based immigration. Preserving family immigration must remain a social imperative.  The normalization of visa quotas and elimination of application backlogs will keep families together.  Immigration reform will not succeed if public policy does not recognize that restrictive enforcement laws often undermine family unity.  Supporting family unity has to be comprehensive, regardless of sexual orientation.

 

Provide a path to citizenship.  Recognizing that the approximately 12 million undocumented immigrants are critical to our economy and our society, it is time to finally pass a broad legalization program that provides a path to permanent resident status and citizenship.  This process should not be portrayed as reward or punishment but as the only fair and workable solution possible. 

 

Meet our workforce needs.  Any solution must satisfy legitimate employer needs while respecting both immigrant and native-born workers.  We need visas for workers at all skill levels and a process to adjust for need.  Increased visa numbers must go hand in hand with long-term investments in the U.S. workforce, including better education and job training opportunities.  Reforms must uphold the wages and working conditions of all workers and ensure that all workers have the same workplace rights and protections as well as a clear path to citizenship.  We need to create economic opportunities for both native and foreign workers.

 

Enforce the rules fairly.  Enforcement of immigration laws only works if we develop an enforceable set of common-sense rules. Immigration enforcement, including detention and immigration court procedures, should adhere to basic due process and human rights standards.  Flawed enforcement methods that rely on inaccurate worker databases wreak havoc on the workforce, create impossible mandates for employers, and promote unlawful discrimination in the workplace, as evidenced by over 20 years of employer-sanctions laws.  Fair interior and border enforcement practices should respect the security of all and should be conducted with accountability and respect.  Any punishments or penalties in immigration law should be proportional to the immigration offense. The U.S. Constitution guarantees due process for all people in this country.  Our government, however, has not fulfilled that guarantee in its treatment of immigrants.  Congress must restore basic civil liberties for all individuals in this country and our commitment to core American values of fairness and justice.

Recognize Immigrants' Full Humanity and Eliminate Barriers to Full Participation.  Immigrants are more than just workers. Immigrants are neighbors, family members, students, members of our society, and an essential part of the future of the United States.  Our immigration policies should provide immigrants with opportunities to learn English, naturalize, lead prosperous lives, engage in cultural expression, and receive equitable access to needed services and higher education.