Building a Fair Immigration System That Lives Up to Our Values
America is a nation of immigrants. Other countries may allow and even welcome newcomers, but immigration is foundational to the American experiment. There is no one race, religion, color or creed that is American — only a shared promise to uphold our core principles of liberty, justice, and the rule of law.
Over the years, immigrants have built our cities and connected the continent. Pioneered new industries and improved existing ones. Strengthened the fabric of our democracy and fueled the development of ideas that propelled us to new frontiers.
Immigrants make us more American, not less. They make our country stronger and more prosperous, and bring to our shores the dynamism, drive, and ideas to grow our economy, renew our politics, and push us forward.
That is why I strongly support the rights and privileges of immigrants within our community and at the border, and I believe America can enact immigration laws that protect our country while also living up to our values.
I strongly support and voted yes on the DREAM and Promise Act, authored by Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, which would enable millions of undocumented young people to move out of the shadows and put them on a pathway to citizenship.
I also believe that America needs to address the root causes that lead migrants to flee their homes in search of safety in America. In many countries, such as El Salvador and Guatemala, American intervention actually created the very conditions that led to destabilization and drive migrants north. I believe we have a special obligation to make things right, and instead of creating aimed at prevention and fear, we should be working to marshal and deploy the resources needed to help people build a viable future in their own countries.
Our immigration system is broken, and despite ideologues who spread lies and those who wish to maintain the status quo, I will continue to fight for a system that treats citizens and noncitizens in a way that is consistent with our values, keeps families together, and protects the safety and security of our border.
