Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

As Americans, our rich immigrant history has helped make us the strong and diverse nation we are today. This great country was founded by people from many backgrounds and nations, bonded by a common hope of achieving the American Dream. Our current immigration system is defective. The Congressional Budget Office, an independent authority, has determined that comprehensive immigration reform will reduce our national debt by $1 trillion over 20 years. In June, I held an immigration roundtable in Addison, Illinois with 38 organizations encompassing all aspects of society and the political spectrum, and we agreed that now is the time for comprehensive immigration reform. I also held a small business event, where business leaders stressed to me how we need to reform our current system to better reflect the needs of our economy.

Congress must pass comprehensive immigration reform that is practical, fair and humane. We need a long-term plan that will secure our borders and include a responsible path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented individuals who are living in the shadows. It is also a priority of mine that we make sure that our immigration system allows families to stay together. If an immigrant meets a strict set of requirements and is deemed eligible, he or she should be able to pursue legal status. Comprehensive immigration reform is right for our families, our businesses, and for our future global competitiveness.

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