Letter: Time for real immigration reform, not wholesale deportation

Time for real immigration reform, not wholesale deportation

There has been frequent mention of “immigration reform.” Unfortunately, little has been done by our lawmakers.

It is not a new topic. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was established to address illegal immigration. It required employers to attest to their employees’ immigration status, and made it illegal to hire or recruit illegal immigrants knowingly. It also established a pathway to legalize illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. before Jan. 1, 1982, assuming they met certain criteria and had no evidence of crime on their records. About 2 million illegal immigrants were eligible under the act. It was signed into law by president Ronald Reagan.

Perhaps it is time to re-examine the 1986 act, as immigration is once again a hot topic. However, we should not confuse rounding up and exporting illegal immigrants wholesale, as well as refusing entry for people from certain countries, with real immigration reform. We are currently acting on the fear side of the equation — it’s easier. However, our lawmakers must look carefully at the whole equation, which includes many positive contributions by immigrants to our society and economy.

Providing a fair, comprehensive immigration reform bill will be much harder, but it is justified.

This story was originally published March 31, 2017 at 4:13 AM with the headline "Letter: Time for real immigration reform, not wholesale deportation."