President Trump, is immigration reform on your legislative agenda? – PRI
Over President Donald Trump's first 100 days, we're asking him questions that our audience wants answers to. Join the project by tweeting this question to @realDonaldTrump with the hashtag #100Days100Qs.
#68. @realDonaldTrump, is immigration reform on your legislative agenda? #100Days100Qs
It was clear through the campaign and in the first weeks of Donald Trump's presidency that a major priority of the administration would be to enforce existing immigration laws to remove undocumented immigrants from the US.
But we know it's not just illegal immigration on the Trump administration's policy plate. In his address to Congress at the end of February, Trump talked about changing how legal immigration works. What's less clear is what reform to the immigration system might look like, and how much of a priority it is for the White House.
Most immigrants are admitted to the US as permanent residents on the basis of family unification. The Migration Policy Institute reportsthat in 2015, of more than1 million new permanent residents, also known as green-card holders, over 60 percent came to the US after being sponsored by family members, mostly immediate family. The US caps the number of immigrants who can enter the countrythis way based on national origin.
Trump has, instead, called for a system of immigration that focuses on high-skilled workers.
"Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: It will save countless dollars, raise workers wages, and help struggling families including immigrant families enter the middle class," Trump said. "I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nations security, and to restore respect for our laws."
A March CNN/ORC poll found that two-thirds of Americans support some form of legalization for undocumented immigrants who have jobs. An even higher percentage support a pathway for people who have jobs, speak English and pay all their taxes. (Here's a PDF of the poll's findings.)
Comprehensive immigration reform was attempted by the Bush administration and several times during the Obama administration, including a bipartisan effort that passed the Senate in 2013 but never received a vote in the House. That bill, the "Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013," proposed to add border agents and require all employers to verify their employees' authorization to work, while creating a talent-based immigration system and a path to citizenship for many undocumented immigrants.
The US Conference of Mayors, representingover 1,400 cities, adopted a resolution in January "calling on Congress to fix our broken immigration system and immediately begin working toward the enactment of comprehensive immigration reform legislation." (PDF)
Many employersalso say they need reformin order to fill open positions with people who are legally authorized to work in the US. This was the position of fast food CEO Andrew Puzder, Trump's first pick for labor secretary who removed himself from consideration amidst scandal.
Senators David Perdue and Tom Cotton told Politicothat the president supported their bill to reduce the numbers of legal immigrants admitted to the country. He asked, they said, for a broader bill to include changes to work visas.
We would like to know if the White House can confirm this report. And, more generally, our question for Trump is: Is immigration reform among your legislative priorities and what are some of the specific changes that you would like to see happen? Click here to tweet this question to the president. Here are some other immigration-related questions we've asked.
#41. @realDonaldTrump How will you handle cases of abuse at privately run prisons and immigration detention centers? #100Days100Qs
#39. @realDonaldTrump Do you see a correlation between your immigration policies and a rise in hate crimes? #100Days100Qs
#19. @realDonaldTrump: You plan to hire 10,000 more immigration officers. Are you also expanding immigration courts? #100Days100Qs
#7. @realdonaldtrump: In addition to undocumented immigrants, are you prioritizing deportation of lawful US residents? #100Days100Qs
#4. @realDonaldTrump: As you increase immigration enforcement, will you make public information about detention & deportation? #100Days100Qs
Read the rest here:
President Trump, is immigration reform on your legislative agenda? - PRI
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- Executive Orders Are a Good Start, But We Need Lasting Immigration Reform. Here's Where to Start | Opinion - Newsweek - February 1st, 2025 [February 1st, 2025]
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- Chicago mayor reiterates opposition to incoming Trump admin's immigration reform - Fox News - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
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- Rockford groups advocate for immigration reform ahead of Trump Administration - WREX.com - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
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- Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology Calls for Just and Humane Immigration Reform - Jesuits.org - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
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- Rep. Adam Gray looking forward to working with Trump on immigration reform - KTXL FOX 40 Sacramento - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
- Changing minds on immigration reform means changing voters priorities, not just their positions - LSE - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
- USCCB issues Catholic Elements of Immigration Reform - Diocese of Raleigh - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
- NWRA commentary: Comprehensive immigration reform could be legacy defining moment for the second Trump administration - Waste Today Magazine - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- An Immigration Reform Agenda for the 119th Congress - Federation for American Immigration Reform - December 25th, 2024 [December 25th, 2024]
- Immigration reform must end funding of states with sanctuary cities - Waterbury Republican American - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- YORK: Written off for dead, immigration reform could still live - The Albany Herald - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Floridas Impressive Effort to Stop Illegal Immigration Still Has One Item to Fix - Federation for American Immigration Reform - December 16th, 2024 [December 16th, 2024]
- Letter to the Editor | Trump's promised immigration reform won't happen - The Daily News - December 10th, 2024 [December 10th, 2024]
- Trump makes picks that he thinks will help his immigration reform plans - KENS5.com - December 10th, 2024 [December 10th, 2024]
- Hirono co-introduces immigration reform bill - Spectrum News - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- OPINION: Beyond walls and raids: A case for humane immigration reform - The Nevada Independent - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- OPINIONS: Redefining the American Dream: Why Immigration Reform Cant Wait - The Proxy Report - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- With control of White House and Congress, will Republicans pass immigration reform, repeal Obamacare? - Northeastern University - November 21st, 2024 [November 21st, 2024]
- ImmigrationProf Blog: Immigration Article of the Day: What Congress Needs to Break the Immigration Reform Stalemate by Maryam Stevenson - Law... - November 21st, 2024 [November 21st, 2024]
- US Catholic Bishops Call for Immigration Reform Emphasizing Fairness and Humanity - Mwakilishi.com - November 16th, 2024 [November 16th, 2024]
- Urgent immigration reform needed to protect migrant workers in the care sector, Work Rights Centre says - Electronic Immigration Network - November 14th, 2024 [November 14th, 2024]
- Tariffs, tax cuts, and immigration reform: Trump's blueprint for second term - The Business Standard - November 14th, 2024 [November 14th, 2024]
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- WHAT DID THE CANDIDATES SAY: Immigration reform on the City College Community Agenda, November 2024 - City Times - November 5th, 2024 [November 5th, 2024]
- As a Latina Daughter of Immigrants, I'm Voting For Immigration Reform - POPSUGAR - November 5th, 2024 [November 5th, 2024]
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- Immigration reform can start with repeal of the 3/10-year bar | Op-Ed - The Seattle Times - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]