Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush: on Immigration
Antonin Scalia:
AZ feels besieged by immigrants & feds unwilling to fix it
The common perception that the federal government neither effectively polices the border nor aggressively enforces immigration laws evokes a strong popular backlash, reflected in laws enacted by several states seeking to control illegal immigration.
Justice Antonin Scalia eloquently voiced that sentiment in his dissenting opinion to the US Supreme Court that struck down several portions of SB 1070. "Arizona bears the brunt of the country's illegal immigration,"
Scalia wrote. "Its citizens feel themselves under siege by large numbers of illegal immigrants who invade their property, strain their social services, and even place their lives in jeopardy.
Federal officials have been unable to remedy the problem, and indeed have recently shown that they are unwilling to do so."
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.108-109
Mar 5, 2013
Barack Obama:
Deferred-action: Let under-age illegals remain lawfully
When Pres. Obama issued his deferred-action policy, hundreds of thousands of young people who were brought illegally into the US became eligible to remain lawfully. For the first time those young people were able to take a tenuous step toward the only
status many of them have ever known: Americans.For Dulce Vazquez, 21, and her sister, Bibiana, 19, who were profiled by the "Arizona Republic," [whose parents brought them to the US illegally when they were under-age,] the policy was a dream come true
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.156-159
Mar 5, 2013
Barack Obama:
Since 2008, deported a record number of illegal immigrants
Obama alienated many Hispanics by breaking his 2008 campaign promise to lead the charge for comprehensive immigration reform and, especially, by deporting a record number of illegal immigrants. But [in 2012] Obama reversed course, announcing his policy
to allow young people who were brought here illegally to remain. The policy was enormously popular, and it appeared to demonstrate presidential leadership, energize Hispanic voters, and paint Republicans into a corner from which they could not escape.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.202
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
There is no realistic pathway to citizenship for most people
Some people are allowed to become legal residents automatically, even if they do not work and will consume enormous social services. (Indeed, some immigrants are forbidden from working!) Others who would contribute a great deal have to wait decades for
a visa, if they can get one at all.Of the many serious and legitimate criticisms that can be leveled against our current immigration system, two in particular stand out in terms of hugely detrimental impact:
-
We are not bringing in highly skilled immigrants in sufficient numbers to meet our needs and to maximize future American prosperity.
- There is no realistic pathway for most people who simply wish to become American citizens.
There is a single major explanation for both problems: our immigration policy is driven by an overriding preference for family reunification, which in turn is very broadly defined.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p. 17-19
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
Limit family reunification: no siblings nor parents
Our immigration policy is driven by an overriding preference for family reunification. Unlike every other country, in America family members of existing immigrants account for a large majority of new lawful entrants into our country, crowding out most
others.When parents & siblings are given immigration preference, their entry in turn creates an entitlement to other extended family members to gain preference as well--a phenomenon called "chain immigration."
In terms of cost/benefit analysis,
extended family members typically do not produce the economic benefits that work-based immigrants do, and they impose far greater costs.
We propose limiting guaranteed admissions to spouses and minor children of US citizens. Reuniting married couples
and their children is the essence of family reunification. By contrast, siblings and parents cause substantial chain immigration because their children, siblings, and parents then receive guaranteed admission preference as well.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p. 18-21
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
Treat illegals with compassion but also rule of law
We need to treat those who have settled in our country illegally with compassion and sensitivity, yet without sacrificing the rule of law that is vital to our national fabric.
The wholesale amnesty granted in the 1980s promoted the first of those values while abandoning the second, with the all-too-predictable result that millions more illegal immigrants came into the country.This time, we need to vindicate both core values
On one hand, we should try to put ourselves in the shoes of people who have entered the country illegally: they often faced impossible economic circumstances in their native countries, with a bleak future for themselves and their families,
yet had no realistic process of immigrating lawfully to this country. On the other hand, allowing people to immigrate illegally without consequence while millions of others wait to enter through lawful means in manifestly unfair.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p. 40-41
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
Path to legal resident status: pay fines & no criminals
It is in no one's interest for illegal immigrants and their families to live in the shadows. We need everyone to participate in the mainstream economy, to pay taxes, to participate openly in their communities, to be willing to report crimes--
that is to say, to be accountable, responsible members of society. That cannot occur when people fear they will be arrested if their immigration status is known.We propose a path to permanent legal resident status for those who entered
our country illegally as adults and who have committed no additional crimes of significance. The 1st step in obtaining that status would be to plead guilty to having committed the crime of illegal entry, and to receive an appropriate punishment
consisting of fines and/or community service. Anyone who does not come forward under this process will be subject to automatic deportation, unless they choose to return voluntarily to their native countries.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p. 42-43
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
Secure border as component of reform, not as prerequisite
Many on the right say that we must secure the border before we do anything to reform our immigration system. The fact is that we can't do one without the other.
Although border security is an essential component of broader immigration reform, broader immigration reform also is an essential component of border security.
Demanding border security as a prerequisite to broader immigration reform is a good slogan but elusive on the details and measurements. What do advocates of such an approach mean by "operational control" of the border?
That not a single immigrant will cross illegally? That no illegal drugs will cross the border? That no terrorists will enter our country? What exactly is the magic moment we must wait for before we can fix the broken immigration system?
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p. 48
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
To become citizen, pass exam in English and civic history
Assimilation into American culture may begin long before people even enter our country. But assimilation into the American identity--the values on which our nation is based and the constitutional mechanisms designed to perpetuate them--ultimately is far
more important yet a much more difficult task.To become citizens, immigrants must demonstrate fluency in English and pass an examination on basic American civics and history. There are 100 possible questions, from which 10 are asked of prospective
citizens. Answering 6 out of 10 questions constitutes a passing grade.
We believe that should not be enough to earn citizenship. Instead, aspiring citizens should be able to demonstrate a fundamental understanding of our nation's values and mechanisms
of democracy. Thus we would expand the civic knowledge necessary for citizenship to include our nation's founding documents, the crucial role of a market economy in promoting freedom and prosperity, and the means and importance of civic preparation.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p. 58-59
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
Illegals can't "wait in line"; there is no line to wait in
There is one reason above all others that we have millions of illegal immigrants: because there is no lawful avenue for them to enter the country. Unless they receive one of the small number of seasonal work visas or high-skilled worker visas, or unless
they are a postsecondary student or a relative of lawful residents, there is simply no mechanism by which they can lawfully emigrate to the US. Saying "they should wait in line like everyone else" is hollow because there is no line in which to wait.
The days in which people could lawfully emigrate to the US just because they wanted to pursue the American Dream are as much a memory as is Ellis Island. If we do not provide a lawful mechanism for immigration for such people, we can expect a continued
flow of illegal immigration during good economic times, no matter how many fences we build or how many obstacles we place in their path. Emphatically, the best solution to illegal immigration is a viable system of legal immigration.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.114-115
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
Objections to more multiracial America are misplaced
Even if we did nothing on immigration policy, immigration would continue to impact America. In 2011, for the first time, fewer than half of all children born were non-Hispanic whites. US residents who were born in foreign countries number about 39
million, or roughly 12.5% of the nation's people, not much different than in times past.What the demographics mean is that Americans will grow increasingly multiracial. Reform opponents raise the same tired arguments their predecessors raised for
centuries: that the newcomers will not assimilate; they won't learn English; they are disproportionately criminal, welfare-dependent, and subversive of American values. History repeatedly has proven those objections misplaced. Where would we be if we had
allowed those arguments to prevail in the 19th century or at any time since then? Certainly, we would not be the most powerful, prosperous, and generous nation on earth. Nor will we continue to be if we allow those arguments to prevail today.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.139-141
Mar 5, 2013
Jeb Bush:
6-part proposal for comprehensive immigration reform
A Proposal for Immigration Reform- Fundamental Reform: Comprehensive interrelated approach because system as a whole is broken, and to achieve bipartisan consensus.
- A Demand-Driven Immigration System: Replace overriding preference
for family reunification with work-based immigration.
- An Increased Role for the States: Share federal authority over immigration policy [such as] social services and providing benefits.
- Dealing With Current Illegal Immigrants:
We propose a path to permanent legal resident status for those who plead guilty to having entered our country illegally as adults and who have committed no additional crimes of significance.
- Border Security: Broader immigration reform is
an essential component of border security; we can't do one without the other.
- Toward a More Vibrant Future: Getting immigration policy right will allow us to reclaim the prosperity that in recent years has eluded our grasp.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush,p. 12-62
Mar 5, 2013
John McCain:
2005: guest worker program & path to citizenship
In 2005, Senators John McCain & Ted Kennedy proposed a guest-worker program & a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. Both sides torpedoed the efforts. Opposition to the bill from the right was based primarily on demands to secure the border.
In response to those concerns, border security resources--including personnel, fencing, and high-tech surveillance--were increased substantially. Deportations of illegal immigrants increased substantially, to about 250,000 annually.In 2007, another
bipartisan immigration reform effort was made, led by Senators John Kyl and Kennedy. The bill would have introduced a point system to identify and favor high-value immigrants, increased significantly the number of employment-based green cards, reduced
family preferences, and established a guest-worker program. That effort failed as well: some liberals opposed it on the grounds of protecting American workers, while conservative opponents denounced it on the grounds of amnesty and border security.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.137
Mar 5, 2013
Jon Kyl:
2007: guest worker program & amnesty for illegals
In 2005, Senators John McCain & Ted Kennedy proposed a guest-worker program & a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. Both sides torpedoed the efforts. Opposition to the bill from the right was based primarily on demands to secure the border.
In response to those concerns, border security resources--including personnel, fencing, and high-tech surveillance--were increased substantially. Deportations of illegal immigrants increased substantially, to about 250,000 annually.In 2007, another
bipartisan immigration reform effort was made, led by Senators John Kyl and Kennedy. The bill would have introduced a point system to identify and favor high-value immigrants, increased significantly the number of employment-based green cards, reduced
family preferences, and established a guest-worker program. That effort failed as well: some liberals opposed it on the grounds of protecting American workers, while conservative opponents denounced it on the grounds of amnesty and border security.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.137
Mar 5, 2013
Marco Rubio:
Immigration is a human issue AND a law & order issue
Perhaps more than any other public policy issue, one's position on immigration often depends on one's encounters with immigrants. And certainly no public policy directly touches a greater number of lives than immigration. In a speech to the National
Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials, Sen. Rubio made this point very eloquently:"The people who are against illegal immigration and make that the core of their argument view it only as a law and order issue. But we know it's much more
than that. Yes, it is a law & order issue, but it's also a human issue. These are real people. These are human beings who have children, and hopes, and dreams. These are people that are doing what virtually any of us would do if our children were hungry,
if their countries were dangerous, if they had no hope for their future. And too often in our conversation about immigration that perspective is lost. Who among us would not do whatever it took to feed our children and provide for them a better future?"
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.146-147
Mar 5, 2013
Mike Bloomberg:
Reforming broken system is most important step for economy
More than ever before, immigration is our economic lifeblood. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, himself a wildly successful businessman, says that "reforming a broken immigration system is the single most important step the federal government could
take to bolster the economy." Among the many steps we need to take to restore American economic growth and prosperity, none offers a more immediate return than improving our immigration system.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.101
Mar 5, 2013
Mitt Romney:
OpEd: Far right immigration policy lost Hispanic vote
By sharply criticizing Texas governor Rick Perry for his in-state tuition program for certain children of illegal immigrants, and by making his leading immigration adviser a prominent proponent of "self-deportation,"
Mitt Romney moved so far to the right on immigration issues that it proved all but impossible for him to appeal to Hispanic voters in the general election.
However little or much anti-immigration rhetoric counts in Republican primaries, it surely succeeds in alienating Hispanic voters come the general election.
Although Romney eventually called for comprehensive immigration reform, a platform that hardened the party's stance on immigration hung like an anvil around his candidacy.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.201
Mar 5, 2013
Republican Party:
OpEd: GOP ignores fact of increasing ethnic minorities
Numerous explanations for Romney's defeat came into play, and nearly all of them were demographic. Our nation has experienced rapid and dramatic demographic changes over the past decade, including an aging population; a reduced number of marriages;
a decline of religion; and above all, a rapidly growing population of racial and ethnic minorities. Over the past decade, minorities have accounted for 85% of the nation's population growth.
Throughout that time, the Republican Party has clung to its core constituency, seeking to squeeze more votes from an ever-shrinking base--in other words, it has been living on borrowed time.
In 2012, the inexorable math, combined with the party's unwillingness and inability to expand its base, finally caught up with it.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.199-200
Mar 5, 2013
Ronald Reagan:
1986 IRCA: amnesty in exchange for tough border & penalties
Rising levels of illegal immigration [led to] the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). It provided amnesty for 3 million illegal immigrants, in return for increased border security and penalties for companies "knowingly" hiring illegal
immigrants. Aside from creating the H-2A visa for seasonal employment, IRCA failed to create new avenues for legal immigration. The combination of amnesty and inadequate avenues for legal immigration exacerbated the problem of illegal immigration.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.133-134
Mar 5, 2013
Ronald Reagan:
Latinos are Republicans; they just don't know it yet
Republicans need not abandon or compromise their principles to attract Hispanic support--to the contrary, their best electoral strategy is to emphasize common conservative values.Ronald Reagan once famously quipped that "Latinos are Republicans.
They just don't know it yet." The Republican Party's overriding priority in the years ahead must be to expand and diversify its shrinking demographic base, embracing immigrants generally and Hispanics in particular.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.206
Mar 5, 2013
Ted Kennedy:
2005 & 2007: guest worker program & path to citizenship
In 2005, Senators John McCain & Ted Kennedy proposed a guest-worker program & a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. Both sides torpedoed the efforts. Opposition to the bill from the right was based primarily on demands to secure the border.
In response to those concerns, border security resources--including personnel, fencing, and high-tech surveillance--were increased substantially. Deportations of illegal immigrants increased substantially, to about 250,000 annually.In 2007, another
bipartisan immigration reform effort was made, led by Senators John Kyl and Kennedy. The bill would have introduced a point system to identify and favor high-value immigrants, increased significantly the number of employment-based green cards, reduced
family preferences, and established a guest-worker program. That effort failed as well: some liberals opposed it on the grounds of protecting American workers, while conservative opponents denounced it on the grounds of amnesty and border security.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.137
Mar 5, 2013
Tom Ridge:
2003: US-VISIT relying on biometric fingerprinting
Post-9/11 antiterrorism efforts led to massive backlogs of foreign visitors entering the US and to controversial registration and detention of Middle Eastern visitors.
In an effort to harmonize the interests of security and commerce, in 2003 then-secretary of homeland security Tom Ridge implemented the US-VISIT program.
The system relies on biometrics fingerprinting, which is used to identify everyone entering the US except short-term visitors from Mexico or Canada, comparing them with a database that by 2008 contained 90 million sets of prints.
The system builds upon extensive intelligence and information sharing with foreign countries so that the border is the last rather than the 1st line of defense against terrorists.
Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p. 54
Mar 5, 2013
Page last updated: Feb 06, 2014