The writer, a former US deputy commissioner of immigration during the Reagan administration, emphasizes the need for both major political parties in America to reassess their immigration stances. To honor its legacy as a nation of immigrants, Republicans must stop vilifying migrants and acknowledge that immigration benefits both the country and the economy. Conversely, Democrats need to understand that not all economic migrants are refugees, and uncontrolled illegal immigration poses risks to security, strains public resources, and diminishes support for legal immigration.
Despite what the current presidential campaign may suggest, many Americans still support a balanced immigration policy. This policy should promote generous legal immigration while also controlling illegal immigration. However, this essential aspect of American identity is under threat. A collaborative effort between both parties could offer a solution.
First, there is a need to revive the bipartisan Senate border security bill that stalled in May. This bill recognized the flaws in the asylum process. While it is crucial to tighten asylum eligibility and refine the criteria for demonstrating credible fear of persecution, it is equally important to improve the system’s efficiency and speed.
The discussion on illegal immigration has overly fixated on border issues. In 2021, the Biden administration decided that simply being a removable non-citizen should not trigger enforcement actions. While prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens is a sensible approach, this significant policy shift resembles a local police force choosing not to ticket people for running red lights, ultimately leading to more violations.
If illegal migrants believe they can stay in America by simply avoiding trouble after arriving in cities like Cleveland or Denver, they will continue to come in greater numbers. To control illegal immigration effectively, credible enforcement within the country is necessary.
The second part of a comprehensive immigration framework involves establishing a self-updating legal immigration protocol. Political divisions have stalled updates to legal immigration laws for years, resulting in a complex and outdated system that fails to adapt to demographic and economic changes. Both parties have attempted to change the law through executive orders, leading to confusion and an imbalance of power between the legislative and executive branches.
A more effective solution would be to implement a protocol similar to one used for military installations since the Cold War. An independent commission, appointed by the president, would analyze data, hold public hearings, and recommend annual immigration levels for the next ten years across various categories, including employment, refugees, and family reunification.
If the president approves the commission’s recommendations, they would become law unless Congress rejects them within a set timeframe. This process would be reviewed every five years, helping to minimize the impact of immediate political concerns.
Finally, if a constitutional amendment is ratified to limit birthright citizenship to children of US citizens and legal immigrants, we should grant legal status to the millions of law-abiding undocumented immigrants who have been in the US for a long time. As stated in the Biden administration’s 2021 directive, many undocumented individuals have been valuable members of their communities for years. We need to ensure these individuals can fully engage in our democracy rather than remain sidelined.
Congress should establish a legalization program for those who have lived in the country since 2022 and meet strict eligibility criteria. This program should only take effect if the constitutional amendment limiting birthright citizenship is ratified within three years of the law’s enactment.
Repairing our broken immigration system is vital for America’s prosperity and political stability. It should be the top priority for the next Congress and presidential administration, regardless of the election outcome on November 5.
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