My Speech on the Immigration Bill:
Thank you for welcoming me to the floor. I am John Cornyn and I will be speaking in favor of the Visa Reform and Enforcement Bill, number 2-2016.
The state of Texas is in a unique position in the debate about immigration, sharing 1,000 miles of its borders with Mexico. Texas is home to a population that is constantly increasing in cultural diversity. As a state, we welcome those who share an entrepreneurial spirit and pursue a better life for them and their families.
Although steps still need to be taken to ensure that the safety of American citizens is not compromised by this bill, I believe that the Visa Reform and Enforcement Bill is an example of immigration reform done right.
I support expanding the number of visas, especially for students studying STEM-related fields and for immigrants that would work in labor-intensive jobs. In these fields, immigrants can help satisfy the demand for more workers and boost our economy.
I also agree with Section 4 of the bill, that implements a check-in system for immigrants with short-term or working visas to prevent overstays and ensure that immigrants are penalized with a fine or deportation if they violate our laws. It is not overbearing of us to expect that immigrants check in two times a year.
It also is essential that employers use E-verify to certify the status of potential employees. We should not reward immigrants that violate our laws with employment! It reinforces behaviour that is disrespectful to American citizens and to immigrants seeking to come to the U.S. legally.
Although I do support this bill as a whole, I believe it fails to protect American citizens in one key way, in Sub-Section C of Section 1. This section states that the new employment-based visa forms to be created will have “less eligibility requirements and restrictions on the type of person entering the country.” The safety of American citizens should be our first priority, so it does not makes sense to have lax eligibility requirements for the people that we allow to enter the country.
Vote YES for the Visa Reform and Enforcement Bill. Immigration is a contentious issue for Americans because it concerns values that Americans hold close to their hearts, including respect for the law. We need to inspire respect for the law, but also create compassionate strategies to fix our broken system, and I believe that this bill does just that.
The state of Texas is in a unique position in the debate about immigration, sharing 1,000 miles of its borders with Mexico. Texas is home to a population that is constantly increasing in cultural diversity. As a state, we welcome those who share an entrepreneurial spirit and pursue a better life for them and their families.
Although steps still need to be taken to ensure that the safety of American citizens is not compromised by this bill, I believe that the Visa Reform and Enforcement Bill is an example of immigration reform done right.
I support expanding the number of visas, especially for students studying STEM-related fields and for immigrants that would work in labor-intensive jobs. In these fields, immigrants can help satisfy the demand for more workers and boost our economy.
I also agree with Section 4 of the bill, that implements a check-in system for immigrants with short-term or working visas to prevent overstays and ensure that immigrants are penalized with a fine or deportation if they violate our laws. It is not overbearing of us to expect that immigrants check in two times a year.
It also is essential that employers use E-verify to certify the status of potential employees. We should not reward immigrants that violate our laws with employment! It reinforces behaviour that is disrespectful to American citizens and to immigrants seeking to come to the U.S. legally.
Although I do support this bill as a whole, I believe it fails to protect American citizens in one key way, in Sub-Section C of Section 1. This section states that the new employment-based visa forms to be created will have “less eligibility requirements and restrictions on the type of person entering the country.” The safety of American citizens should be our first priority, so it does not makes sense to have lax eligibility requirements for the people that we allow to enter the country.
Vote YES for the Visa Reform and Enforcement Bill. Immigration is a contentious issue for Americans because it concerns values that Americans hold close to their hearts, including respect for the law. We need to inspire respect for the law, but also create compassionate strategies to fix our broken system, and I believe that this bill does just that.