Statement from Conservative Leaders on Pending Immigration Legislation in the House of Representatives

American Principles in Action and the American Conservative Union, along with more than fifteen conservative leaders, released a statement today regarding the upcoming immigration debate. The statement reads in full:

America needs immigration reform. With over 76 million “Baby Boomers” retiring by 2030 and only 46 million Americans poised to take their place in the workforce, it’s clear we need a forward-looking market-based immigration policy which allows for a growing economy and a labor blueprint that plans for the future.

In addition, we are faced with the reality that our current immigration system is dysfunctional: it encourages illegal immigration, does not meet the labor needs of our economy and does not adequately enforce our laws or secure our borders. Conservatives support immigration reform that spurs economic growth and the creation of good jobs for Americans, protects families, promotes the patriotic assimilation of immigrants and ensures that another wave of illegal immigration does not happen again.

{snip} A conservative package of immigration bills should provide legal status to undocumented immigrants, but not a special path to citizenship; should establish market-oriented mechanisms to meet the demand our economy has for foreign workers at different levels of our labor market; and should set border security triggers that are based on precise measurements that can be verified independently.

{snip}

Signers to the letter include: Alfonso Aguilar, Executive Director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles;Jeff Bell, Policy Director of the American Principles Project; Frank Cannon, President of the American Principles Project; Al Cardenas, Chairman of the American Conservative Union; Lawson Bader of the Competitive Enterprise Institute; Brad Bailey of the Texas Immigration Solution; Diana Furchotgott-Roth of the Manhattan Institute; Ed Gillespie, Former RNC Chairman; Robert Gittleson of Conservatives for Immigration Reform; Carlos Gutierrez, Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce; Deal Hudson of the Pennsylvania Catholic Network; Niger Innis of Congress of Racial Equality; Tamar Jacoby of ImmigrationWorksUSA; Dr. Richard Land of Southern Evangelical Seminary and Bible College; Mario H. Lopez of the Hispanic Leadership Fund; Rosario Marin, Former U.S. Treasurer; Rev. Sam Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference/Hispanic Evangelical Association; and Thomas Winter of Humanevents.org.