The president of the United States has said he wants sweeping, comprehensive immigration reform. The U.S. Senate is working on it, the way the U.S. Senate does. That is, it's going off in all directions.
The good news: The debate has finally begun. And those in both major parties want something done with the Dreamers, and we don't mean deportation. There's a reason why protecting the DACA kids has support from Democrats and Republicans alike. This is the only country these young people have ever known. It would be cruel, even un-American, to ship them to a strange land.
The wires say that the Senate hopes to work out something this week, because Congress goes on recess next week. Here's hoping by the time you read this, 60 votes have been found to protect the Dreamers, secure the border, reform immigration rules and make this country's immigration work-of-chaos a merit-based system.
The debate is passionate, which it should be in a healthy democracy when discussing such an important issue. Some thoughts to keep in mind while our betters go back and forth:
• Word has it that Democrats consider some of the proposals and amendments to the immigration bill to be "non-starters"--such as the effort to limit the relatives that legal immigrants can bring to the United States. Declaring "non-starters" is no way to debate. First, it's a ridiculous phrase because everything here can be negotiated. Second, both sides are going to have to compromise. With a Senate split 51-49, neither party is going to get everything it wants.
• As he so often is, the Senate's top Democrat is proving to be an obstacle to any reform. "The only enemy here is overreach," Chuck Schumer announced. "Now is not the time nor the place to reform the entire legal immigration system." Actually, now is exactly the right time to reform the entire system. The two parties are talking again and the president has indicated a desire to sign what the Congress passes. What Chuck Schumer and others might rather do is kick the can down the road--again. Yes, real reform is difficult. Give credit to the president and many senators for trying to do something as difficult as this. As somebody said recently, if you don't take on hard challenges, you'll have no great victories.
• The only member of the Senate to vote against even going into the debate was Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who seems more interested in his clippings than helping his country.
• Arkansas' own Tom Cotton is part of a group that wants real comprehensive reform, and not just a Band-Aid. The group's plan mirrors the desires of the chief executive, and would legalize Dreamers, put $25 billion toward the wall, and end a diversity lottery from smaller countries. There's another proposal by John McCain and Chris Coons that would grant legal status to Dreamers but not authorize money to build the southern border wall. When will they learn? In the 1980s, the government granted amnesty and promised to improve security at a later date. Amnesty happened, security didn't. The two should go hand in hand, or the country will just find itself back here--in another iffy immigration conundrum--in 10-20 years.
When it comes to comprehensive immigration reform, let's not forget one of Charles Krauthammer's insights on the matter: "We essentially have an NFL draft where the United States has the first, oh, million or so draft picks. And rather than exercising those picks, i.e., choosing by whatever criteria we want--such as education, enterprise, technical skills and creativity--we admit the tiniest fraction of the best and brightest and permit millions of the unskilled to pour in instead."
Our immigration system should be merit-based, and we should give priority to those who can help the country advance. Otherwise, these promising settlers may move to Australia or Canada or to other countries with merit-based immigration systems.
It might not be the easiest path, but real reform--comprehensive reform--can make this country more competitive as the 21st century turns. Let's get to it.
Editorial on 02/16/2018