When the summer recess is over and Congress returns to Capitol Hill, will immigration reform remain a top priority for Democrats? While members of Congress have been sending mixed messages about exactly how hard they'll push for reform, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) has pledged to introduce legislation before Labor Day. And just this morning, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said that she sees drafting such legislation as the most pressing issue on her department's agenda. Still, the White House itself has been somewhat slow to commit.
Today, seven Democratic members of Illinois' congressional delegation -- Reps. Mike Quigley, Danny Davis, Luis Gutierrez, Jan Schakowsky, Phil Hare, Jesse Jackson Jr., and Bobby Rush -- sent an open letter to President Obama urging him to add his political muscle to the immigration fight. "Letters like this push the agenda," Rep. Quigley said at a press conference today. "Our role as a congressmen is to help set the priorities." Watch:
As far as local immigration advocates are concerned, the goals for reforming the nation's immigration laws haven't changed since Obama took office. The broad objective is to put the nation's 12 million undocumented immigrants on a path to citizenship. Sen. Dick Durbin's Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors bill (the DREAM Act) is also sure to be a key part of any package. Here's the outline included in the lawmakers' letter:
We must move forward with a commonsense, American solution that secures the border, protects the rights of all workers, and modernizes our legal immigration programs. A key element of this reform is requiring all undocumented immigrants to register, go through background checks, pay taxes, and study English in order to obtain legal status and be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.
This comprehensive approach will not only secure our borders, level the playing field for workers, and stop dishonest employers from gaining an unfair advantage, but it will bring in critical revenue by integrating more people into the economy as workers, taxpayers, and consumers. The other options – maintaining the status quo or trying to force 12 million illegal immigrants to leave the country – are neither viable nor desirable.
Rep. Gutierrez has been laying the groundwork for these reforms for months now. In May, he wrapped up his 21-state Family Unity Tour, which sought to energize elected officials and grassroots organizers to push for change. The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is helping to keep the momentum going through its own legacy campaign. "We see progres," Gutierrez said today. "And it is time for the President to take on reform -- this year."
Comments
Evans T. N. (not verified) on Tue, 08/04/2009 - 12:18
I greatly appreciate and endorse the "comprehensive approach" which some lawmakers have adopted to help solve this controversial issue of comprehensive immigration reform. Since it may not be in the best interest of this nation "to force 12 million illegal immigrants to leave the country", I strongly believe that "requiring all undocumented immigrants to register, go through background checks, pay taxes, and study English in order to obtain legal status and be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship" is the best and most reasonable solution to this problem. It should be understood well that if the illigal immigrants should pay their taxes to the government this time besides other requirements, this will greatly help to generate much fund for the government and thus boost the nation's current ailing economy.
Rich (not verified) on Tue, 08/04/2009 - 13:13
Even if illegal immigrants can't be found and deported, they don't need to be given a path to citizenship, or any non emergency aid.
Enforce the 1986 Amnesty's agreement that illegal immigrants can't work in the United States. Comprehensive immigration reform should emphasize the universal use of e-verify for all workers, and not include any path to citizenship.
What's with Illinois Representatives wanting amnesty? Who are they representing?
Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/05/2009 - 12:05
I am a 17 year old illegal immigrant. Both my parents have Social Security numbers (with a no work stamp) but they both work and pay taxes not only for themselves but also for my brother and I. I think it is important to realize that a lot of illegals DO pay taxes. Anyways we are not a typical illegal family. No doubt when most of you think of illegals you imagine Central/South Americans, but we originally came here frome Europe. In school I am ranked 6th in my class, I received a 32 on my ACT and I have a 4.6 weighted GPA. However I cannot get a drivers license, or a job, and getting into a good college is going to be very difficult for me because even if I do get accepted I do not qualify for government aid. I came to this country when I was really young, I speak the language perfectly and I know the history better then most (having just finished a US history AP course). Looking at me you would not even be able to tell that I am not originally from here, and yet I have no rights. I do not feel like a human being. I understand the frustration of people towards illegals, yet I cannot understand the hatred for someone who is just trying to make a living for their family. My friends are worried about their girlfriends and boyfriends and my biggest dream is to pass the dream act. Therefore, even if you are against amnasty you need to look into your heart and swallow your pride and support this bill. If it passes your life will not change siginificantly but mine will improve beyond belief.
Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/05/2009 - 14:14
Amen to that.
I hope this will pass and America will all be better for it. I also hope with the grace of God the ones who are against the comprehensive immigration bill will see the good in it and assist in its passing this fall. I have faith in the goodness of American people, even the strong critics, to do what is good for our fellow men. After all, we all are immigrants in this country.
Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/05/2009 - 18:58
Im in the exactly same situation. I speak fluent English, Spanish and Chinese yet the only jobs I can work at are those $5.50 per hour washing dishing. I want to pursue my dreams but without a comprehensive reform, it seems quite impossible.
S (not verified) on Wed, 08/05/2009 - 22:34
My husband has worked a job making $40,000 per year, paying more than his share of income tax each year and NEVER applying for his refund for fear of reprisal. This money and ALL SS and medicare taxes he has paid stay IN the system. Laid off after 12 yrs, as his visa is expired, he is ineligible for unemployment that he paid into. A born and bred US citizen, I cannot legalize him due to a USCIS technicality. He is an honest and hard working man who has no problems with the law. Let us get ahead and continue to contribute to the US economy. Let us out of the shadows, Pres. Obama, Senate and Congress, The AMERICAN people, do the American thing, do the right thing, bring our economt back, save our family, pass immigration reform NOW.
Also, please stop the racist Sheriff Joe. This man has single handedly done more damage to the AZ economy than this entire recession! AZ will continue to decline as Hispanics are chased out by the hundreds of thousands.
Green Card Lottery (not verified) on Sat, 08/15/2009 - 12:10
From a humanitarian perspective, our fellow human beings, who migrate to support their families, continue to suffer at the hands of immigration policies that separate them from family members and drive them into remote parts of the American desert, sometimes to their deaths. This suffering should not continue.
Now is the time to address this pressing humanitarian issue which affects so many lives and undermines basic human dignity. Our society should no longer tolerate a status quo that perpetuates a permanent underclass of persons and benefits from their labor without offering them legal protections.
Mario (not verified) on Mon, 11/16/2009 - 16:37
My great fear in all this reform is that some other important issues may all by the wayside. I heard in the beginning of Obama's campaign that he intended to lower the $500,000 figure that has to be met in order to be eligible for an eb5 green card. I believe he said he intended to go as far as halving that figure, but to date I have heard no follow ups on the matter. This is a very important issue to myself and many future/potential immigrants and I hope it sees some light soon.
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