The goal behind the five-step plan is to strip away the politics that have engulfed the issue and focus on reforming immigration policies that will instead reflect our nation’s collective interests, explained Alfonso Aguilar, director of APIA’s Latino Partnership program.
“This Congress should definitely pass legislation in this session – now – to address these problems,” Aguilar said, according to The Hill.
The first three of these calls to action are recommendations FAIR has long-embraced: secure the border, enforce immigration law in the workplace, i.e. E-Verify, and implement a biometric entry/exit system to ensure foreign nationals do not overstay visa limits.
Upon the successful completion of these three prerequisites, Congress would then be able to go ahead with the last two, which is where the APIA’s proposed reforms could become more like rewards to illegal aliens.
Aguilar said hiring foreign workers is acceptable, but only in situations where employers cannot first find an American or legal immigrant to fill the job. It’s an admirable idea, but APIA does not suggest how the government would ensure all American candidates were considered prior to a company’s hiring foreign nationals, or even illegal aliens.
The final point is where the plan goes south – “provide a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants.” It’s nothing short of giving amnesty to those who illegally entered the country, but does fixing a number of policies mean we must overlook the consequences millions deserve?