Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

Here are the fundamental principles that I believe immigration reform should center around:

1) Secure the border. I signed the Border Security Pledge by Americans for Securing the Border, supporting the construction of a date-certain, double fence across the entire US border with Mexico prior to the end of 2013.

2) Identify and deport those who have a criminal record immediately.

3) Repeal the federal laws that allow citizenship via family ties and marriage and replace it with the option of a military service requirement or a work requirement. Additionally, a basic knowledge of US history and its origin, fluency in English, and documentation of community service should be required to earn citizenship.

4) The more than 12 to 15 million illegal immigrants that have come to this country over the past 30 years should not be eligible for citizenship or enjoy government benefits at any point in time.

The current system is so broken employers can follow the letter of the law and hire an illegal worker unknowingly. Often, we discover that these employees have been with their employer for more than 10 to 20 years and have demonstrated an excellent work ethic. Therefore, a system should be established that identifies the illegal worker and allows both the employee and the employer to come forward to get on track to a legal workforce without disrupting the economy.

5) Establish workable guest worker programs so that US employers can bring in the skilled and unskilled labor that meets the demands of the job. An economy cannot grow if it does not have an adequate labor supply. Employers that cannot find necessary labor in the US either go out of business or move their operations to another country where they have access to the labor they need. I believe it is important for our national security and our economic security to keep as much business based in this country as possible.

Immigration Votes in the State Senate

HB 36: Government Contractors Must Use E-Verify
SB 205: No Benefits for Illegal Aliens

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