![\"Jeb_Bush_2013_CPAC_by_Gage_Skidmore3\"](\"http:\/\/live-immigrationreform.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Jeb_Bush_2013_CPAC_by_Gage_Skidmore3-257x300.jpg\")
\u201cLegal immigration needs to be reformed as well. Most of our legal immigrants come through a quota system by country and by family petitioning. Most people don\u2019t know this, but it was done in the 1960s and we have what\u2019s called chain migration<\/a>. We have the broadest definition of family in the world: spouse and minor children, like every country, right? And then adult<\/i> siblings and adult<\/i> parents. If we narrowed that to what every other country has, it would be half a million people less. Imagine having half a million people that you picked to come in.<\/b>\u201d<\/p>\nMr. Bush touched on a core problem with our immigration system that few others want to talk about: it is based on who you are related to. Americans will be better served if elected officials thoughtfully determine which skills we need (working for less is not a skill) and how many people we can absorb without impacting job prospects of Americans.<\/p>\n
To be sure, Mr. Bush did not advocate for a reduction from the nearly one million people we allow to immigrate here legally every year, nor did he suggest altogether replacing the outdated quota system with a merit-based one\u2014but addressing chain migration is a start.<\/p>\n
The rest of his immigration platform\u2014including guest workers and amnesty\u2014have a long way to go in terms of serving a broad public interest. He is still a Bush.