A Bipartisan Approach to Immigration Reform?

Senator Rubén Gallego (D-AZ) has introduced a extensive immigration reform bill aimed at addressing both border security and providing pathways to citizenship for specific groups of undocumented immigrants. This initiative marks the first major Democratic effort on immigration as President Trump’s return to office. However, its prospects for success in a Republican-controlled Congress appear slim.

Balancing Border Security with Legal Pathways

gallego’s proposal seeks to strike a balance between enhanced border enforcement and creating legal avenues for immigrants, including Dreamers – individuals brought to the U.S. as children. The senator argues that these two goals are not mutually exclusive.

We don’t have to choose between border security and immigration reform.

Senator Rubén Gallego

The plan addresses what Gallego describes as a chaotic and under-resourced asylum system, exacerbated by outdated processes.To address these issues, the proposal includes provisions for:

• Increased hiring of border patrol agents.
• Investment in port infrastructure.
• Deployment of advanced drug detection technology.

Furthermore, the reform aims to streamline the asylum process to prevent abuse and expedite legitimate claims, while simultaneously expanding legal immigration channels to stimulate economic growth.

Economic Contributions of Immigrant Communities

Immigrant households wield meaningful economic power. Recent data indicates that in 2023, these households represented $1.7 billion in purchasing power and contributed nearly $652 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. Gallego’s plan also emphasizes the creation of new visa programs with strong labor standards and a clear path to citizenship for Dreamers and long-term undocumented residents.

Addressing the Status of Dreamers

The proposal specifically targets the precarious situation of Dreamers. While the National Immigration Forum estimated over 3.6 million Dreamers residing in the U.S. in 2024, only a fraction – approximately 530,000 – are protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, established during the Obama administration. Gallego’s plan aims to provide a more secure and permanent legal status for this vulnerable population.

Most of these dreamers live in the shadow.

Senator rubén Gallego

Echoes of Past Reforms and Future Challenges

Gallego’s approach aligns with previous Democratic administrations, advocating for addressing the root causes of migration and ensuring that other nations in the Americas share the duty of resettling asylum seekers and refugees. The last major immigration reform occurred in 1986 under President Ronald Reagan, which granted a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants, many of whom were agricultural workers.

Since then, numerous attempts at comprehensive immigration reform, proposed by both Democrats and Republicans, have failed to garner sufficient political consensus. The current political climate, marked by heightened partisan divisions, suggests that Gallego’s proposal faces a formidable challenge in gaining the necessary support to become law.