The Need for Federal Immigration Reform
By Brad Bailey
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas A new immigration system
that allows current unauthorized immigrants to be involved fully in society paying fines for breaking the immigration laws and not receiving preferential treatment over legal immigrants is fair.
To call any of the current Immigration Reform negotiations in Washington D.C. amnesty" is flat out dishonest.
Many people beg to live in the United States because our ideals of liberty produce results that are powerfully attractive to those born outside of our borders. From the freedom of political and religious expression to the protections of the rule of law to the guarantee of opportunity our nations principles are a beacon to the oppressed.
Ronald Reagan famously remarked during his farewell address that our country was a shining city on a hill." Commenting on immigration he continued by saying and if there had to be city walls the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here."
Reagans words should inform us as immigration reform proposals are forming on Capitol Hill. The debate about how to reform our immigration system which has been broken for generations has cleared major hurdles in recent weeks.
Business owners and many other stakeholders are pushing for bold conservative principles in the solutions to fix the system.
As a business owner its encouraging to hear that the Chamber of Commerce and labor unions have agreed upon a deal. Im eager to see the final details on paper which I hope fully account for the crucial need for a robust guest-worker program. The deal being crafted is in a political landscape dramatically different than the attempt at reform in 2007.
When upheld these ideals create economic and cultural prosperity here at home.
How broken is our system? Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens who have applied for a visa more than 20 years ago are just having their applications reviewed today. The world has changed immensely in 20 years but for these unfortunate souls they are trapped in an immigration system time warp.
Can you imagine if the IRS took 20 years to process your tax return? Or if the Department of State took 20 years to send you a new passport? The outcry of protest would be deafening!
As conservatives we oppose daunting bureaucracy within all parts of government. Our view of the immigration system should be no different.
Border security without a doubt must be strengthened. But we also need a system that will efficiently manage the thousands of immigrants that want to come here legally.
And in dealing with that reality millions of people have breached our complicated and broken immigration system. Either we can scuttle the entire debate with scare tactics as many cynical politicians want or we can push through sensible reforms that we as conservatives should support.
Citizenship as Reagan said is one of the most sacred possessions of our people" but disagreements on this issue should not halt good necessary reforms.
Blanket amnesty has not worked in the past and shouldnt be tried again. Regardless of politics doing nothing is not an option.
Its for the good of our economy job creators and families. Albert Einstein born in Germany pioneered breakthroughs in physics and played a major role in winning World War II. Sergio Zyman born in Mexico City was Chief Marketing Officer of Coca-Cola and ushered in an explosion of sales for the company through his vision. Sergey Brin was born in the Soviet Union and co-founded Google in the United States. America should continue to remain the place where anyone can succeed no matter the soil of his or her birth.
As Carlos Gutierrez Cuban immigrant and former U.S. Commerce Secretary said in a speech The United States stands on a path to freedom prosperity and stability." Lets stay on that path.
Brad Bailey is a restaurateur in Houston TX and is the founder & CEO of Texas Immigration Solution a 501.c.4 organization of business & community leaders to promote conservative market-based immigration reform.
