A Path to Citizenship – It’s about Prosperity!

Comprehensive immigration reform should include a path to citizenship

Studies have found that there are an estimated 12 million* undocumented immigrants living in the shadows in the United States. Many have been here for more than a decade; many brought children who have grown up as Americans; and many have U.S.-born children who are citizens. The great majority of undocumented immigrants are law-abiding and hard working (The Pew Hispanic Center estimated that unauthorized immigrants are 4% of the nation’s population and account for 5.4% of its workforce.)

Finding and deporting 12 million men, women and children would be harmful to families, harmful to the economy, and, let’s face it, completely unrealistic. At the same time, keeping the status quo would just perpetuate an underclass of exploited, fearful workers, a world where real criminals can hide in impunity.

There is a better solution. We can pass an immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for deserving undocumented immigrants, let them out of the shadows and allow them to contribute fully to their adopted nation.

A path to citizenship would

-Increase tax revenue. In certain places, undocumented immigrants already contribute more to the economy as workers and consumers than they take in services**; They would contribute even more if they had papers and could pay taxes.

-Allow U.S. businesses to plan and prosper. Businesses, especially sectors such as agriculture and hospitality, need to maintain a large, young and stable workforce to plan and grow without the fear of immigration raids and prosecution.

-Raise standards for all workers. Undocumented workers, who are 1 in 20 workers in the United States, are vulnerable to the worst kind of exploitation and abuse, which in turn depresses the wages of all workers because of the unfair competition. Bringing migrants workers out of the shadows and giving them labor protections would lift standards for American workers.

-Stimulate the economy. Undocumented immigrants are blessed by tremendous entrepreneurial spirit and would jump at the chance of being able to create businesses and jobs in America.

-Spotlight criminals. With 12 million people actively hiding in the United States, the U.S. government does not know who is in the country, and what’s more worrisome, who is a criminal and who is a harmless worker. Bringing law-abiding immigrants out of the shadows would make it easier to find the real bad guys.

-Give children a future. Undocumented children came to the United States through no decision of their own. Many have never been in their parent’s country of origin and some only speak English fluently. They might feel American and they might excel in school but their immigration status dictates a bleak future: They will not be able to get financial help to go to college and won’t be able to get a legal job. Having undereducated, underemployed young people is not good for the country. A path to citizenship would give these children a future and help America prosper.

A path to citizenship for deserving undocumented immigrants is the best policy under the circumstances.

Such a path could come with a reasonable fine, background checks, and mandatory English lessons, and could exclude very recent or future undocumented immigrants so as not to encourage more undocumented immigration. But the conditions to a path to citizenship should not include out-of-reach fines, a “touchback” requirement to return to the country of origin, or any other gimmick that would only force undocumented immigrants to hide deeper in the shadows.

A sensible and comprehensible immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship is good the nation. Let’s pass it!

*The Pew Hispanic Center
**Texas Comptroller’s Office