REFORM IMMIGRATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Our immigration system is a tragic mess. We simply must break the partisan logjam and bring people from all parties together to reform and modernize it. There are few better examples of “bad government” than the overly complex current laws and regulations involving immigration. The President needs to take the lead and work with Congress to radically simplify our immigration system so people can come here, work, and become members of our communities without being relegated to the shadows. Immigrants built this country, and they can help keep it growing and prospering for future generations of Americans.

As President, I would:

• Collaborate with Congress to return to an Ellis Island style of processing immigrants. It should be simple for those who wish to come here to work and build a better life to appear before immigration officials at an accredited port of entry, be given medical and criminal checks to assess their safety and receive a visa allowing them to immediately find employment. This is a process that should take, at most, days; not months or years.
• Create a simpler path to citizenship for immigrants who are already here. Some eight million undocumented immigrants are currently present in our labor force, doing essential jobs, paying payroll taxes, and contributing to our economic growth. Formalizing this arrangement will not only allow them to further contribute to the economy by meeting critical labor demand and reducing inflationary pressures, it also saves taxpayers billions of dollars in enforcement costs.
• Create a path to citizenship for both DACA-eligible residents and the children of foreign workers admitted to the US on temporary work visas. These immigrants often lose their legal status upon turning 21, robbing us of individuals educated here in America with something to offer our society.
• Expand both the H1B visa and startup visa, which allows skilled immigrants to bring their talent and innovation to our shores. These individuals add to our economy by starting new businesses and putting more Americans to work. Fifty-five percent of American startups that are valued at over one billion dollars were founded or co-founded by immigrants.