Comprehensive Immigration Reform
PRINCIPLES
FOR IMMIGRATION
REFORM
Labor United for
Comprehensive Immigration
Reform
Members: Coalition of Labor Union Women, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Pride at Work, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
Members: Coalition of Labor Union Women, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Pride at Work, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
- Border Enforcement: Enforcement should include more trained border patrol agents, effective inspections, screening practices, as well as strategies that crack down on criminal smugglers, and reduce illegality. Such a system will better enable the nation to know who is already here and who is coming in the future and bring our system into line with our tradition as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.
- Worker Protections: To address the issue of supply and demand reform is needed to replace the deadly, chaotic, and illegal flow of workers to jobs. In cases of proven worker shortages, there needs to be a wider legal channel so workers can be admitted legally to fill available jobs. Any workers entering the country to fill a proven worker shortage shall have the same protections as other workers, mobility within areas of proven need, and a path to citizenship. To avoid the exploitation and abuses of flawed guest worker programs of the past we need enforcement and a renewed commitment of our labor and employment laws.
- Reunification of Families: Immigration reform will not succeed if public policy does not recognize one of America's most cherished values: family unity. Restrictive laws and bureaucratic delays too often undermine this cornerstone of our legal immigration system and need to be corrected to address the issue of family unity.
- Earned path to Citizenship: There are 12 million undocumented immigrants in the country and it is not feasible to locate and deport them all. Therefore, opportunities should be provided for undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. to receive work permits and access educational opportunities once they undergo background and security checks. Those who want to settle in the United States should be eligible for permanent residence and eventually earn citizenship.
- Future Flow of Immigrants: Immigrants will continue to come to this country and we need to have an effective entry avenue for future immigrants with fully enforceable labor protections.