We strongly support enhanced border security. We believe this to be a top priority. We support all efforts to stop unwanted and illegal entry into the United States. However, we believe we can secure our borders without criminalizing the employers that fuel our economy.
Working immigrants are critical to our economy. They are not taking jobs from citizens. They are fueling an economy that is creating more jobs for citizens and immigrant workers.
A recent study of 27 states and the District of Columbia, including all major destination states for immigrants, found increases in both foreign-born populations and the employment of native-born workers. Rakesh Kochhar, Growth in the Foreign-Born Workforce and Employment of the Native Born. Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center, August 10, 2006, p. ii.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 1993, construction firms employed 4,779,000 people. Today, there are 7,227,000 employees in the industry - a 52 percent increase. By comparison, overall employment growth was 20 percent during the same period.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that another 792,000 new construction jobs will be created between 2004 and 2014. 125,000 additional workers will be needed per year just to keep up with demand.
We need a comprehensive immigration policy that secures the border and recognizes the need for the continued employment of the current working immigrant workforce and the need for a program to meet future employment needs. Such a policy would:
Secure the border;
Create a legal status by which the current immigrant workforce could work here legally that does not grant citizenship but gives both employee and employer the ability to continue driving the American economy;
Identify the immigrant workers and properly tax those workers and their employers, eliminating the current "underground" cash-only employment; and
Develop a viable and efficient visa work program that allows for a timely and reasonable flow of immigrant workers to meet future employment needs.
Once comprehensive reform is in place, we must establish a system of effective and fair enforcement against employers and immigrants that refuse to comply.
Latest News
12/9/2007
Illegal immigration set-to is why we hold elections
In retrospect, my grandparents had it easy. They sailed here in steerage from Denmark at the turn of the last century, carrying little money and a squalling infant who much later became my mother. But they were legal, welcomed by a government that had enticed them to come with exaggerated claims of Western glories and jobs, jobs, jobs. Denmark was then, as was much of Europe, in a deep depression and the high unemployment rate was staggering.
12/7/2007
Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the injunction against the No-Match Rule in San Francisco, California.
12/6/2007
Kidding Ourselves About Immigration
What you are supposed to say about immigration--what most of the presidential candidates say, what the radio talk jocks say--is that you are not against immigration. Not at all. You salute the hard work and noble aspirations of those who are lining up at American consulates around the world. But that is legal immigration. What you oppose is illegal immigration.
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