Ms. Fuller and Ms. Diana's SS Blog

Does your Senator tend to agree or disagree with his/her party when it comes to immigration?

Perspectives on Immigration: Republicans

• Security and at entry points to the U.S. (borders, airports, etc.) must be strong. The U.S. should have lots of Border Patrol agents, security cameras, and aircrafts monitoring the borders.
• The U.S. should have a strong system that keeps a record of who enters and exits the country (at airports, border stations, sea ports, etc.) and when these people enter and exit.
• Amnesty (forgiving illegal immigrants and giving them a way to become legal residents/citizens) just encourages illegal immigration.
• People who employ illegal immigrants should face tough penalties.
• Spouses and children of legal residents/citizens should have priority for immigration.
• There should be an increase in the number of visas given for high-tech workers and for temporary agricultural workers (aka guest workers).
• Immigrants should be encouraged to learn English.
• English should be the official language of the United States.
• The U.S. should welcome political refugees (people forced from their home countries based on political factors/violence).

Perspectives on Immigration: Democrats

• The U.S. should provide a way for undocumented (illegal) immigrants to become citizens.
• We should work to make sure immigrant families are not separated and to try to reunite families that have already been separated by immigration laws.
• The United States should offer more English-language and civic education classes so immigrants can take on all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
• Funding should be provided for the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) to help with processing of citizenship applications and other immigration paperwork.
• Immigrants should be protected from employers who want to use them as a source of cheap labor.
• Guest worker programs would lead to unfair treatment of immigrant workers and would create a new group of second-class workers, betraying our values and hurting all people.
• Immigrants should have the right to due process in court instead of automatically being deported for minor offenses.
• Illegal immigrants within our borders who clear a background check, work hard and pay taxes should have a path to earn full participation in America (amnesty.)
• We should work with our neighboring countries to make sure that America is safe from those that would come here to harm us.