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[Previous entry: "President Bush proposes a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws that could give legal status to millions of undocumented workers in the United States"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "El Gobierno de Bush Vuelve a Concentrarse en la Reforma de la Inmigración"] 01/07/2004 Entry: "AILA Press Release on The Bush Administration's immigration reform proposal" "With this announcement, the Administration, after a silence of more than two years, is returning to an important issue that impacts our national security, our economic security, and the ability of citizens and legal permanent residents to be reunited with their close family members," said Jeanne Butterfield, Executive Director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO REFOCUS ON IMMIGRATION REFORM President Bush is expected to announce on Wednesday, January 7th his Administration's immigration reform proposal. This announcement comes one week before the President will be meeting with Mexican President Vicente Fox. As the proposal has been shrouded in secrecy, those outside the Administration know little about either its substance or the Bush White House's future plans for promoting it. "With this announcement, the Administration, after a silence of more than two years, is returning to an important issue that impacts our national security, our economic security, and the ability of citizens and legal permanent residents to be reunited with their close family members," said Jeanne Butterfield, Executive Director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) "Clearly, this nation of immigrants needs immigration reform," said Judith Golub, AILA's Senior Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs. And with this announcement the Administration is signaling just that: that our current immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed. AILA is pleased that the Administration is adding its voice to the chorus of those who recognize that our current dysfunctional system is beyond repair, and that trying to enforce such a dysfunctional system will lead only to more dysfunction. This stance repudiates the regressive position of the opponents of immigration reform, those naysayers whose only contribution to the current debate is their continued support for failed initiatives. "AILA welcomes the Administration's return to this issue and is eager to embrace a proposal that addresses the failures of our current system, and especially in an election year, deals seriously, appropriately, and on a bipartisan basis with this important issue," continued Golub. AILA will judge the Administration's proposal on its merits, based on whether it embraces the following key components: Comprehensively reforms our immigration laws: Since many of the problems with the U.S.'s current immigration system are interrelated, reform must be comprehensive to successfully address our nation's needs. The status quo is unacceptable, especially in a post-September 11 world in which enhanced security is central, and we need to balance our security with the continued flow of people and goods. Our current system is characterized by families being separated for long periods of time and U.S. employers unable to bring in needed workers. People are forced to live an underground existence, hiding from the government for fear of being separated from their families and jobs. The current enforcement system fails to prevent illegal immigration, and precious resources that should be spent on enhancing our security are wasted on stopping hard-working people from filling our labor market needs. Our immigration system needs to be reformed so that legality is the norm, and immigration is legal, safe, orderly, and reflective of the needs of American families, businesses, and national security. AgJobs is a landmark example of business, immigration, agriculture, labor, civic and faith-based groups working together to propose solutions to long-standing problems with agricultural labor policy. This measure would reform the H-2A process so that agricultural employers unable to find American workers would be able to hire needed foreign workers. The legislation also provides a reasonable mechanism for undocumented agricultural workers to earn legal status. Despite the fact that many undocumented children have grown up in the U.S., attended local schools, and have demonstrated a sustained commitment to learn English and succeed in our educational system, our immigration laws provide no avenue for these students to become legal. Many were brought to the U.S. by their parents at an age at which they were too young to understand the legality of their arrival, let alone take action to rectify this decision. The DREAM/Student Adjustment Act would allow immigrant students who have grown up in this country, graduated from high school, and have no criminal record, to go to college and legalize their immigration status. "The Administration's support for these two important measures will signal its seriousness about broader immigration reform and its commitment to getting something accomplished. We have no time to lose," concluded Butterfield. # # # Founded in 1946, AILA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that provides its Members with continuing legal education, information, and professional services. AILA advocates before Congress and the Administration and provides liaison with the DHS and other government agencies. AILA is an Affiliated Organization of the American Bar Association. American Immigration Lawyers Association Posted on AILA InfoNet at Doc. No. 04010616 (Jan. 6, 2004)
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