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Principles for an Integral, Functional and Humane Immigration Policy

ese principles, developed by representatives of various sectors of our society, are a guide for Members of Congress,responsible to developing a new immigration system, to address the needs of this great nation while maintaining the

respect for liberty and rights of all people.

A New Comprehensive Immigration Policy must include:

Provide a Pathway to Citizenship. Undocumented immigrants are an integral part of the United Statesand contribute signicantly to its culture and economy. An immigration reform program must include theopportunity for undocumented immigrants of good moral character to become legal permanent residentsand eventually US citizens. If this process includes the requirement to learn English and US history, thenthere should be a sufficient amount of time and exemptions for vulnerable populations, are the elderly.Immigrants currently under Temporary Protective Status (TPS) as well those who would have qualiedunder the DREAM Act or Agricultural Jobs legislation should be afforded the same opportunity. Anyprogram that requires a touchback clause or a temporary worker status for undocumented immigrantsalready in the country is unacceptable. We must strive for a program that sets forth clear and sensiblerequirements for undocumented immigrants and maintain the integrity of our countrys constitutional,civil and human rights.

Keep Families Together. Our current immigration system tears families apart and limits the venues for

legalization. A new immigration policy should establish a viable process for family reuni

cation by endingthe current backlogs and eliminating the 3- and 10-year bars. e Child Status Protection Act should beextended to cover children of legal permanent residents who would otherwise age out of immigrationbenets their parents submitted before they were 21 years of age.

Respect Human Rights and Civil Liberties. e U.S. Constitutions upholds the protection of humanrights and civil liberties. e reform of immigration laws must include the restoration of due process rightsand access to courts and adequate legal representation; thus, eliminating such programs as OperationStreamline which sentences en masse undocumented immigrants as criminals for entry or re-entry in thecountry. New legislation should also call for the review of privately run detention centers, an end toindenite detention and seek alternatives to detention as a means to enforce a civil administrative process.In reforming immigration policies, the creation of a national identication system should be avoided as

well the collection of biometric information in employment veri

cation, Our immigration policy mustfoster an environment of equality by guaranteeing equal access to education, healthcare, and housing, andprotecting the economic and labor rights of all, citizens and immigrants.

Promote Community Security. Requiring local police departments and jails to enforce immigration lawand act as immigration agents is expensive and diverts attention and resources from curbing violence andcrime. Immigrant communities are an important weapon in preventing acts of terrorism, drug violenceand crime. However, immigrants and their U.S. citizen family members will be less willing to report crimesif they fear for their own safety. Comprehensive immigration reform requires a new enforcement strategy

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that would eliminate ICE ACCESS,an initiative that uses local criminal justice systems to identify, detainand deport "criminal aliens. e most notorious ACCESS programs, like the Criminal Alien Program,Secure Communities and 287g, have failed in achieving their purpose. On the contrary, these programslack clear oversight and criminalized people with only minor violations. A new strategy should also endindiscriminate raids in homes and at the workplace, which only tear families and communities apart.

Establish a Responsible and Accountable Border Policy. We need a new vision of border policies thatbolster the safety and security of our nation and also uphold the highest regard for civil and human rightsof border communities and residents. A sensible border enforcement policy must balance enforcementwith regional economic prosperity and the respect for local communities by establishing clearaccountability systems and transparent oversight through the creation of a Border Enforcement ReviewCommission. A new border strategy policy must move away from heightened military presence in bordercommunities and focus on facilitating and expediting the entry process at the international bridges. Ournational security is best sustained with reasonable and scally sound border policies that strengthen andprotect the rights of border residents and immigrants.

Support Immigrant Integration. With every new wave of immigration, immigrants learn to adapt theAmerican way of life while maintaining their own language and culture. e process for integration can be

accelerated through adequatelynanced programs that offer a variety of services to New Americans, fromEnglish classes to the promotion of civic engagement. Supporting immigrant integration programs meansgreater prosperity for our nation.

Develop a Process for Periodic Review of the Immigration System. Due to changes in migration owsand economic needs of the United States, our immigration system requires the creation of a commission toperiodically analyze migration trends and the needs of the country to recommend changes to Congress.is process needs to establish solutions that recognize the demand for workers at every level of oureconomy while respecting the human rights of migrant workers. In the short term, it should immediatelyincrease the number of visas for workers. In the long term, we need to develop a completely new programthat ensures workers' economic and labor rights as well as protections for American and immigrantworkers. is program should also establish a process that provides an opportunity for migrant workers toapply for U.S. citizenship.

Address the Root Causes of Migration. In the long term, concrete steps must be taken to tackle thecauses of migration. While some countries face internal conict and war, others, such as Mexico and someCentral American nations, are facing intense violence and insecurity. As an inuential world leader ineconomic and military policy, the United States can play a signicant role in assessing and addressing thelarger global structures that cause people to migrate.

e Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance is a multi-sectorial network dedicated to build support for a sensible immigration reformpolicy. To join the effort or for more information, please contact us at 915.577.0724 or via e-mail at reformimmigrationtx@gmail.com.

RITA Principles

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