IMMIGRATION REFORM IS BACK IN THE NEWS

According to a column in the Washington Post by Senators Schumer and Graham:  “Our immigration system is badly broken. Although our borders have become far more secure in recent years, too many people seeking illegal entry get through. We have no way to track whether the millions who enter the United States on valid visas each year leave when they are supposed to. And employers are burdened by a complicated system for verifying workers’ immigration status.”

Some of the ideas set forth by the senators are promising however, one must wonder what the odds would be of significant immigration reform passing in light of high unemployment.  Those familiar with our nation’s immigration system almost unanimously agree that it is badly broken.  If Congress and the White House are committed to doing the right thing, it would be to enact CIR.

The political cost-benefit analysis is tricky.  On the one hand, there is the bloc of Latino voters, most of whom support CIR.  On the other hand, unemployed Americans may oppose the legalization provisions proposed.  However, legalizing those who are already in the US and working illegally does not take a job away from an American.  In fact, if employers who hire undocumented workers are violating the country’s wage and hour laws and that becomes more difficult for them to do – Americans may in fact get some of these positions in the end and be paid a fair wage for their time.

Please visit our firm’s websites at www.immigrantconnect.com and www.americaninvestorvisa.com.

Author: Bradley Maged

I'm Brad Maged, an immigration lawyer in Boston, Massachusetts. I help people who want to live and work in the United States and companies that wish to employ them. This blog provides opinion and information on developments in immigration law. Thanks for reading!

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