|
The
United States Catholic Bishops Conference (USCCB)
believes that meaningful immigration reform must properly balance
the right to migrate and the right to regulate migration. Thus, the
USCCB opposes “enforcement only” immigration policies because they
lack proper accommodation of the right to migrate. Instead, the
USCCB supports “comprehensive” immigration policies that pare valid
enforcement laws with fair and generous legalization measures. The
U.S. Catholic Bishops have outlined various elements of their
proposal for comprehensive immigration reform. The key elements of
comprehensive reform advocated by the Bishops are:
Learned Legalization:
An
earned legalization program with a path to citizenship would require
unauthorized workers to work for several years, take English
courses, and pay a fine in order to participate in the program. Such
a program would help stabilize the workforce, promote family unity,
and bring a large population “out of the shadows,” as members of
their communities.
Enforcement:
The Bishops support the legitimate and important role of the United
States government in enforcing immigration law at the border and in
the interior. The Bishops also believe that by replacing illegal
migration with legal migration, law enforcement will be better able
to focus upon those who truly threaten public safety: drug and human
traffickers, smugglers, and would-be terrorists. Any enforcement
measures must be targeted, proportional, and humane.
Future Worker Program:
A
worker program to permit foreign-born workers to enter the country
safely and legally would help reduce illegal immigration and the
loss of life in the American desert. Any program should include
workplace protections, living wage levels, safeguards against the
displacement of
U.S.
workers, and family unity.
Family-based immigration reform:
It
currently takes years for family members to be reunited through the
family-based legal immigration system. This leads to family
breakdown and, in some cases, illegal immigration. Changes in the
family-based immigration should be made to increase the number of
family visas available and reduce family reunification waiting
times.
Addressing Root Causes:
Congress should examine the root causes of migration, such as wage
inequities and the lack of job opportunities in sending countries,
and seek long-term solutions. The antidote to the problem of illegal
immigration is sustainable economic development in sending
countries. Ideally, migration should be driven by choice, not
necessity.
Restoration of Due Process Rights:
Due process rights taken away by the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform
and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) should be restored,
particularly the use of judicial discretion in deportation
proceedings. |