There is no doubt, America benefits from legal immigration. California, the breadbasket of the world benefits from legal immigration. Our communities are made richer in our culture and diversity. I myself, a descendent of Spanish heritage stand before you as a beneficiary of legal immigration.
For the past 30 years Congress has failed to fix our broken immigration system. Republicans and Democrats share equal blame and must come together to solve this humanitarian problem. First, we need to stop using derogatory monikers such as Illegal or criminal to discuss the 1.8 million residences President Trump is taking about. Second, we should know who they are.
It is not only the 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients who are at risk. There are also approximately 300,000 immigrants granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), some since 1991. Legally allowed to stay due to ongoing armed conflict, such as civil war in El Salvador (195,000) or an environmental disaster such as earthquake in Haiti (50,000) (National Immigration Forum, 2018). Because of lack of Congressional action, these TPS immigrant are granted extensions year after year.
Imagine, living here in California since 1991, legally working, going to school, maybe getting married and having a family. It is now 2018, 27 years have passed, that is two generations of family born here. They went through 9/11 with us; their children have joined the military and defended you and this great country of ours. 88.5% are working and contributing to your social security system and paying taxes because of their temporary legal status.
I support the Four Pillar proposal put forward by President Trump and have aligned then with the Four Pillars of Success; Discipline, Accountability, Standards and Systems.
The first Pillar requires Discipline; to provide a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million Dreamers, TPS recipients and other asylum seekers, you must have the discipline to work hard, study hard and succeed as an American you profess to become. MS-13 members need not apply; lawbreakers and felons have given up their right for the privilege of citizenship. Those that show good moral character will be able to become full citizens of the United States.
The second pillar requires Accountability, by ending the arcane visa lottery program so that we can move towards a merit-based immigration system — one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society.
The third pillar sets a Standard, by ending chain migration, whereas a lucky lottery winner can bring aunts and uncles generations deep. We should protect the nuclear family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children.
Finally, the Fourth Pillar employs a System of border security including hiring more Homeland Security, ICE and Border Security Agents to provide a three-pronged approach to border enforcement and includes a border wall and methods to secure the southern border.
These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will provide a successful immigration system and the security we need.