Issue Position: Immigration
Issue Position
I support a comprehensive immigration reform strategy that will end illegal entry and effectively address the reality that 12 million undocumented immigrants are currently living in the United States, many of whom hold jobs, make significant contributions to our economy, and have children who are American citizens.
Immigration reform requires action on many fronts. The Department of Homeland Security does not have the resources to adequately protect our borders, and the system for legal immigration to our country is broken. Citizenship and Immigration Services must be reformed to eliminate the unacceptable backlog of immigration applications for legal immigrants and effectively track immigrants granted legal entry. We must also be sure that the current laws on the books -- which require employers to verify immigration papers -- are enforced. No one wants to make this task more onerous or burdensome, but if we reduce the demand for labor from illegal immigrants it will lead to fewer people entering this country illegally.
Agriculture is one of the most important industries in upstate New York. While some farmers can find sufficient labor locally, many cannot find the workers who allow them to keep their family farms in business. I do not support cutting off the labor supply to upstate farmers who depend on seasonal workers to run their businesses. America's farmers should not be punished for government's failure to adequately police our borders and implement a reasonable, transparent guest worker program.
Congress faces the urgent task of enacting comprehensive reforms that will preserve the traditions that have made this nation great, while addressing the security challenges we face. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reform a broken system in a way that protects families, respects human rights, strengthens our border security, and enforces the laws of our country.
* Home
* Biography
* Contact Me
* Constituent Services
* Issues & Legislation
* Newsroom
* 21st District
Source