Pardon My Politics

Why should Congress enact comprehensive immigration reform in the current economy? Is legalizing undocumented immigrants really the best solution? How will legalizing undocumented immigrants affect native workers in the United States? Angela Maria Kelley, The Center for American Progress’ VP for Immigration Policy and Advocacy argues that the current weak economy makes it all the more vital for the United States to enact comprehensive immigration reform that legalizes undocumented workers.

The problem of illegal immigration exists today in large measure because the last two Presidential administrations have not enforced the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which provided for penalties against companies that hire undocumented workers. In 1999, under the Clinton Administration, the U.S. government collected a meager $3.69 million from 890 companies in [...]