Comprehensive immigration reform has its best chance of passing in more than a decade under a recently unveiled plan from the new administration. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative Director Laura Collins presents policy recommendations for the Biden Administration and urges Republicans and Democrats in Congress to work together to make our broken immigration system work better for America.
Immigration reform is always an uphill battle, and this legislative fight won’t be any different. Nevertheless, I am optimistic about this starting point for congressional action because the administration began working with Congress on the first day of the Biden presidency. And permanent legislative solutions–particularly bipartisan ones–are better than making immigration policy by executive action.
In its current form, the proposal recenters our immigration conversation around values and human dignity. This dovetails with the George W. Bush Institute’s extensive recommendations to modernize our immigration system to one that is pro–growth and humane. We know America benefits from immigration. We believe we can be both a secure nation and a welcoming one. And we know that you cannot have true border security without a robust legal immigration system that provides migration opportunities at all skill and education levels.
Bush Institute RECOMMENDATIONS AT A GLANCE:
- Dreamers should be able to apply for citizenship
- America should uphold our longstanding tradition of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers
- We should manage our borders through investment, innovation, and by helping our neighbors build free and prosperous nations
- Our immigration systems should meet the needs of our 21st-century economy
- We should create a more efficient temporary foreign worker entry program
- The United States needs a rigorous, fair process for undocumented immigrants to get right with the law
The Bush Institute believes bipartisan cooperation is imperative for successful immigration reform, and we urge both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to work together to make our broken immigration system work better for America.
