Our great nation needs immigration reform now
The time has come for a new immigration law. That task remains despite the apparent defeat recently of bipartisan legislation in the Senate. The issue is urgent. It won’t go away — no matter how much politicians would like it to disappear in an election year.
Reform can’t wait another political cycle and we cannot surrender. The lives of millions of undocumented workers and their families hang in the balance. So does our national security and economic well-being.
We all know our system is past broken and past fixing. It’s time to summon the courage, compassion and the spirit of compromise we need. We must overcome our differences and forge a new approach worthy of a great nation.
In this debate, we need to recognize two important facts. First, millions of immigrants are already in our midst. And second, we need them to be here.
We know in our hearts that the vast majority of the “undocumented” are honest, hardworking people. The serious policy literature backs this up. Studies show that immigrants already make substantial contributions to our economy and that they’re vital to our future economic growth.
It only makes sense to offer them a path to full participation in American society. We should help them become taxpaying citizens with ordinary workers’ benefits. Such measures would strengthen our borders, enhance our economy, and reduce the strains on our health and social services systems.
Our immigrants are largely religious, and drawing from their pro-family heritage, reflect a deep-seeded respect for the value and dignity of every human life. They have a strong work ethic and they’re loyal to their adopted homelands. Many already serve in our military. Welcoming their spirit of self-sacrifice and self-reliance can only help to renew and revitalize the American soul.
It also makes plain economic sense to find a way to reunite immigrants with their loved ones. The lessons of American history are clear — the children of immigrants are always far more successful economically than their parents. Promoting strong immigrant families can only increase America’s future prosperity.
All of these reforms are in our national self-interest. And they are the right things to do.
There is no need to fight among ourselves about how our immigrants got here. Let’s admit that we are partly to blame for not better securing our borders and enforcing our laws. Let’s admit that the whole question is complicated by global economic and political factors.
I come to this debate as a Catholic archbishop and as a proud American citizen. I also come as an immigrant, born and raised in Mexico. I had family on both sides of the border. My mother’s parents were married in San Antonio and my mother grew up here, too; while my father grew up in Mexico.
I feel that in this debate we’ve lost the sense of America as a nation of immigrants. We’ve forgotten that Hispanics have been here since the beginning and that, along with immigrants from around the world, have helped build this country into what it is today.
We’re scared now. And our fears express themselves in angry and polarizing rhetoric. We’re afraid we’re still vulnerable to another 9/11-style attack. We’re afraid we’re mired in a foreign war we might not win. And we’re afraid our economy won’t continue to grow and that our jobs might be at risk.
These are legitimate concerns. But we can’t legislate out of fear. That will only lead to spiteful, punitive measures that do nothing to address the underlying causes of our concern.
We must approach this issue with the maturity of a great nation. A nation with a vigorous democracy, a growing economy, and a compassionate heart. A nation with a noble history and destiny to uphold.
The challenge of immigration reform remains with us. We must have the courage to solve it.