With immigration reform on the forefront of Congress's priorities after the election, Democratic leaders from both the Senate and the House Wednesday outlined the nine principles they want to guide immigration reform and help the economy recover.
Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus told the press Wednesday that now was the perfect time for the 113th Congress to bring about the comprehensive immigration reform that immigrants across the country have been seeking for years.
Among the nine principles put forward by Democrats include calling for the registration of the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants; protecting immigrant families and preventing their separation; and legalizing undocumented students and visas for agricultural guestworkers.
To register, undocumented residents would need to provide their fingerprints, pay taxes and learn English. Immigrants with criminal records will be subject to deportation.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who has advocated for immigration reform for years, said the next Congress offers "an historic opportunity to help immigrants."
"We can - and should - make history in this session of Congress by passing comprehensive immigration reform," he said, as reported by EFE.
According to New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, overhauling immigration law would actually increase the U.S. gross domestic product by $1.5 trillion over the next decade, by making more Latinos part of the country's economy.
On the subject of why the caucus did not simply present a bill instead of offering principles, Menendez said that they preferred to begin in "good faith" with a bipartisan process to start the debate with "an extended hand" rather than a clenched fist.
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