O’Rourke outlines his vision for immigration reform

Former Congressman Beto O’Rourke, (D) El Paso, laid out his vision of what America’s immigration policy should look like.

O’Rourke’s post on Medium.com — a website dedicated to allowing writers to post their ideas about anything from technology to politics — came days ahead of his rally that coincides with the President’s campaign stop in El Paso. President Trump’s rally was announced hours after the State of the Union address, in which he cited the border wall for changing the city from one of the most dangerous to one of the safest in the nation.

O’Rourke outlined his ideas for reform, saying the end goal is “a stronger, safer, more successful country.”

He suggested extending citizenship to Dreamers — or those who were brought to the U.S. as children –and giving permanent legal protection and a path to citizenship to their parents. He didn’t call it amnesty, but he didn’t elaborate on what the path to citizenship would entail.

O’Rourke also suggested having undocumented immigrants register with the government. He said this would put them on a path to citizenship and allow them to work legally and pay taxes.

In the article, he called for a change in how we refer to immigrants and asylum seekers, urging everyone to stay away from words like “invasion,” and “criminals.”

As for border security, O’Rourke called for an investment in infrastructure, technology and personnel at our ports of entry. He didn’t elaborate on the amount of funding or how many agents and officers would be needed.

O’Rourke had other ideas regarding legal immigration:

– Increasing visa caps for those who are coming for work or educational opportunities

– Better tracking of visa overstays and prioritizing Latin America and its foreign policy plans

Read his full article here.