Will Lame Duck Pass Immigration Reform?

Each year about 65,000 young people who graduate from US high schools as honor roll students, star athletes, as well as aspiring teachers, doctors and US soldiers are unable to work legally, go to US colleges, or enlist in the US Military. They have lived in the US for most of their lives but were brought here illegally by their parents. The Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors (DREAM) Act would provide a conditional six-year pathway to legal permanent residence for certain unauthorized youth if they: complete high school; demonstrate good moral character; and complete at least two years of higher education or serve for at least two years in the US military.

Several reports show that by providing these students access to higher education, our communities, states, and nation would reap significant benefits, including reduced high school dropout rates, a sharp increase in taxes paid by those benefiting from this initiative, substantial savings in criminal justice costs and the use of public benefits. Plus, their multilingual and bicultural skills would add to the global competitiveness of the US. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says it will help recruitment, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, believes it's "the right thing to do for our country."

The failure of our immigration law is also evident in the agricultural sector where the shortage of legal, documented agricultural workers has reached crisis proportions. The Department of Labor estimates that over 50% of the 1.6 million agricultural workers are unauthorized foreign nationals - private estimates run much higher. These individuals work grueling jobs putting food on our table, yet cannot assert basic rights and protections. Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security (AgJOBS) Act of 2009 is a compromise bill that reflects the interests of workers, growers, and ultimately consumers.

AgJOBS includes a streamlined process for employers, additional rights for employees, and provides relief through an earned adjustment program. This is for workers already present in this country who have a significant US work history; it would not encourage future unauthorized migration, and should not be confused with "Amnesty." It is in our national security interest to know who is working in food production and to have an effective means of monitoring these essential workers. American consumers would benefit from a safe, stable, American-grown food supply rather than having to rely increasingly on less regulated foreign imports.

If data proves that the US economy and military can benefit from practical Immigration reform, why is it so difficult to pass in the House and Senate? Will the DREAM Act and AgJOBS bills be voted on in the lame duck session? Can we afford to wait to fix our broken immigration system?