Thursday, May 16, 2019
By Gary Bauer
I was honored to be back at the White House today for the unveiling of President Trump's immigration reform plan. As part of the president's unofficial faith advisory group, I have had some input into the broad outlines of this proposal.
I am pleased to say that it is an America First immigration reform package. As the president said, "It's just common sense." It focuses on six broad goals:
The president stressed that his plan was developed with input from law enforcement and that it puts border security first. It largely ends chain migration and establishes a merit-based immigration system.
It says to potential immigrants, "If you have skills that can help the American economy, we want you." But American taxpayers cannot afford to take care of every family from Central America and elsewhere.
English proficiency will be taken into consideration. The left will scream, but in addition to skills it is the most logical thing to consider. Without anyone voting on it, we are slowly losing the notion that we are an English speaking country, and language is one of the main cultural unifiers.
There should be no ballots printed in any language other than English. Current law says you must know English to become a citizen. So why are we printing all these foreign language ballots?
We have a crisis at the border, and far too many criminals and gang members are getting in.
The president is trying to lay down markers as to what a modern American immigration system should look like. As the president noted today, it's been 54 years since our immigration system was last overhauled by Congress.
In the meantime, walls are being built and the administration is doing everything it possibly can to secure the border.
This is just the beginning of a long process that will be debated in the halls of Congress and across the country in the weeks and months ahead.
I am pleased to say that it is an America First immigration reform package. As the president said, "It's just common sense." It focuses on six broad goals:
- Securing the border
- Protecting American wages
- Attracting highly skilled immigrants
- Allowing legal migration for immediate family members
- Addressing labor shortages in critical industries, and
- Preserving humanitarian values.
The president stressed that his plan was developed with input from law enforcement and that it puts border security first. It largely ends chain migration and establishes a merit-based immigration system.
It says to potential immigrants, "If you have skills that can help the American economy, we want you." But American taxpayers cannot afford to take care of every family from Central America and elsewhere.
English proficiency will be taken into consideration. The left will scream, but in addition to skills it is the most logical thing to consider. Without anyone voting on it, we are slowly losing the notion that we are an English speaking country, and language is one of the main cultural unifiers.
There should be no ballots printed in any language other than English. Current law says you must know English to become a citizen. So why are we printing all these foreign language ballots?
We have a crisis at the border, and far too many criminals and gang members are getting in.
The president is trying to lay down markers as to what a modern American immigration system should look like. As the president noted today, it's been 54 years since our immigration system was last overhauled by Congress.
In the meantime, walls are being built and the administration is doing everything it possibly can to secure the border.
This is just the beginning of a long process that will be debated in the halls of Congress and across the country in the weeks and months ahead.
Posts
