Immigration and Economics

Floor Speech

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, after hosting a special screening of ``The Dream is Now'' at the Rose Marine Theater on the north side of Fort Worth, I can assure you that the hundreds of constituents who attended the event represent a microcosm of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. who need the U.S. to act now on comprehensive immigration reform.

The dream for 11 million to come out of the shadows and contribute to the only country they have ever known rests in our hands. In my home State of Texas alone, immigrants paid $1.6 billion in State and local taxes. The economic contributions of immigrants demand an immigration system that responds to the rapidly changing 21st century economy. We all agree that our current immigration system is broken. The Senate bipartisan bill was a start, and it is proof that a long-term, practical solution on immigration can be achieved.

I will continue to work with like-minded colleagues to ensure a practical and fair solution. We can no longer afford piecemeal solutions that are detrimental to our society and to our economy.

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