Senator Orrin Hatch's response to my letter on immigration reform

I recently wrote the Senator, urging him to vote 'yay' on the Comprehensive Immigration Bill before Congress. I argued that the bill is pro-growth, pro-family and would tighten border security-in tandem with the path to citizenship. I expressed how important it is to take the 11 million or so undocumented immigrants in this country out of the shadows and bring them in to the 'formal economy.' This will increase economic productivity, improve individual morale, strengthen families and neighborhoods and cut the deficit-according to the recent Congressional Budget Office Report: CBO report. 

The Senator's response (a staffer's response) suggests that the Senator will not vote for the legislation and is serving more as a stone-waller and a 'poison-pill' to the process. However, we should keep up the pressure by urging the Senator to vote 'yay' on this important bill. Here is the official response below:

Dear Mr. Morgan:

 

Thank you for taking the time to write with your views on S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. I appreciate hearing from you.

 

As the longest serving Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have worked for many years to improve our nation’s immigration system and increase security on our borders. In recent years, Congress has considered a number of immigration reform proposals that, in the end, would have given blanket amnesty to the millions of illegal immigrants currently residing in the U.S. Please know I have long opposed this approach. In fact, I voted against the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

(P.L. 99–603, 100) also known as the Simpson-Mazzoli Act which expressly granted amnesty. Right now, I believe that we need concrete reforms to fix the loopholes in our current system rather than create new ones.

 

Of course, I am not opposed to individuals entering our country legally, and I recognize the opportunities this country offers to many. We are a nation of immigrants and we must not forget that our country is a melting pot. We are also a nation of laws, and those individuals patiently waiting to be granted American citizenship should not be put at a disadvantage because of those who came here illegally.

 

Since the introduction of S. 744, I have acknowledged repeatedly that, in order to secure my support for the underlying measure, improvements must be made. I am pleased that, during the Judiciary Committee’s consideration, we were able to do that by further strengthening border security and ensuring the United States can remain competitive in a global economy. In fact, I agree with what some have said, that doing nothing to address this serious issue is, in essence, de facto amnesty. Already, fourteen of my twenty-four amendments have been accepted to the bill.

 

However, I still believe this bill needs further improvement before I will lend my support for final passage. I have proposed four common-sense changes to the underlying bill which were not under the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee.

 

My amendments will improve the current legislation by:

 

• Ensuring that federal dollars cannot be used for purposes that were not contemplated under the 1996 federal welfare reform law;

 

• Clarifying the bill to ensure that immigrant applicants satisfy their lawful federal tax obligations resulting from any period of their U.S. residency;

 

• Applying a five-year waiting period for tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies under the health law for individuals going through the RPI and Blue Card pathway; and

 

• Prohibiting those not authorized to work in this country from claiming unauthorized earnings to gain eligibility from Social Security coverage.

 

As the Senate debates and amends S. 744 on the floor, you can rest assured I will keep your timely and thoughtful comments in mind. I welcome your continued input on issues of concern.

 

Your Senator,

 

 

 

 

 

Orrin G. Hatch

United States Senator