Washington (AP) – The Democratic Senator of Arizona, Ruben Gallego, would be in one of the most controversial and unsolvable political problems in Washington, while he is a plan for the reform of the country’s immigration system and the questioning of border security.
The plan of Gallego, which defeated the Republican Kari lake last autumn in the Senate’s tight race in the Senate, demands the hiring of further border patrol agents. Use of technology to stop fentanyl smuggling; Reform of the asylum system; Add other ways to get to the USA; And a way to citizenship for some immigrants.
Gallego’s plan comes three months after the administration of President Donald Trump, when Trump complies with the campaign promise to carry out mass shifts. His plan – or others from Democrats – is unlikely that he will lead a lot in harmony with Trump in the White House, but it shows that the debate about legislative solutions continues.
Many congress members have tried to change the immigration system and not to change. A diminutive group of senators under the direction of Gallego’s predecessor Krysten Sinema negotiated in 2023 and 2024 about a border law that would have tightened asylum protocols for migrants who arrived at the border between the USA and Mexico. Commissioner to evaluate more civil servants, asylum sayings and border protection officers; And to give money to local governments that see the influx of migrants.
This effort met with a opposition wall just a few hours after the invoice was released.
The last time that the congress was even a breakthrough in the immigration reform was in 2013 when a cross -party group of senators progressed the legislation, which illegally expanded a way to millions of people in the country and the expansion of the working visa and exacerbates the legal status of employees. The Senate approved this proposal, but it was rejected by the house.
Gallego’s plan contains some elements that will probably find non -partisan support, e.g. B. his calls to improve border security. But other parts – such as the efforts to illegally legalize someone in the country, will prove to be much more controversial.
“We don’t have to choose between border security and immigration reform. We can and should do both,” said Gallego in a press release on Monday. He said: “The congress has tried to take measures for decades because politics has come in a way. It is time to advance and create a plan that works.”
Gallego, a veteran of the Marine Corps, which served in Iraq, replaced Sinema, a Democrat that has become out of Arizona, which often stood at the forefront of immigration and border security laws.
Here is a look at the 21-page plan:
It offers more opportunities to get to the USA
Gallego argues that a harder enforcement of immigration alone is not the answer and that it should be paired with more options that people come into the USA legally.
The plan provides to escalate the annual allocation of some visas and green cards and to remove the “arbitrary pro-land caps” or to escalate significantly. He also wants to create new visa categories, promote refugees and accelerate the naturalization process for immigrants who serve in the military.
He also demands the gradual implementation of E-Verify, which makes it effortless to check whether potential employees can work legally in the US E-Verify.
It requires a way to citizenship
Gallego argues for moral and economic reasons and demands a way to citizenship for immigrants who were brought to the USA as children.
There are no exact number of people who would include this, although some estimates give the number of 3.4 million people.
Gallego’s plan also calls for a way to citizenship for spouses -US citizens who are illegal in the country. President Joe Biden tried something similar in a program last year that covers the estimated 550,000 people, but it was quickly stopped by a judge.
It provides for investments in border security
Gallego found that the border information for migrants in June last year started that an escalate can come at any time so that investments should now be made. The senator calls for better payment and correction of problems such as the security of the workforce to hire and maintain border protection officers. Investments in technology and infrastructure to detect medicines or human smuggling; and focus of the efforts to the immigration and customs authority on the removal of people who represent a security threat.
Gallego, who often talks about the tribute of migrant areas in Arizona’s border towns, also suggests money to aid the affected communities.
The asylum system beats
Instead of deciding on asylum cases in deficit, Gallego would like to hire more asylum officers and give them the authority to decide these cases. He also suggests making the asylum standard higher and reducing asylum access during the border oath.
It would look at the basic causes
Gallego argues that the United States has to find out why migrants leave their home countries and tackle these problems.
