The Kind of Immigration Reform We Could Support

by Amy Payne, Heritage.org, June 25, 2013

The big question in Washington: Did they even read the entire thing?

A new version of the bill came out on Friday, giving Senators and the American people just one weekend to look it over. Apparently, the Senate doesn’t feel it needs more time to debate such a sweeping piece of legislation that will cost taxpayers trillions of dollars. Now, final passage is expected in a couple of days.

Heritage experts have explained that this bill doesn’t stop illegal immigration—and that should be the first order of business when it comes to immigration reform. Instead, it’s another bureaucratic Washington boondoggle, complete with slush funds and pork.

There is a better way.

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The Senate may gloss over this monstrosity, but immigration debate in the House is just beginning. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has indicated that he understands the immigration bill has a lot in common with Obamacare—and that Americans are increasingly unhappy with the way that’s turning out.

Americans should demand a better way.

Yes, there are other ideas. Yes, there are border security plans that do not require a new 1,000-plus-page bill. As Heritage’s Immigration and Border Security Reform Task Force says:

There are practical, effective, fair, and compassionate alternatives. Washington has simply never tried them. For many years, The Heritage Foundation has laid out a problem-solving road map for addressing the obstacles to immigration and border security reform. The principles behind these proposals have always been about fostering the freedom, security, and prosperity of all Americans in equal measure.

Instead of throwing taxpayer money after ideas that are proven not to work, we should focus on enforcing the laws we have and fixing things that are fixable. Heritage’s immigration solutions include:

• Practical, effective ways to secure the border
• Support for local law enforcement
• Solutions for reforming our legal immigration system
• Temporary worker programs
• Welfare and education reforms

Employers deserve better. American families deserve better. Those longing for their own American dreams deserve better. And Heritage’s task force shows we can do all of this without “amnesty, massive new government spending, more government bureaucracy, giving Washington more control over people’s lives, or sacrificing the security or prosperity of the American people.”

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