“President Obama offered a clear vision of the steps we need to take to fix our broken immigration system, and made clear that he stands ready to work with the members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who are currently drafting a common-sense, bipartisan solution to this issue.

“President Obama’s administration has already made  great strides in securing our border – including more than doubling the number of boots on the ground and deploying new surveillance tools. He has also implemented smart policies that focus our limited law enforcement resources on violent criminals, instead of high school students who were brought to this nation as children, and know no home other than the United States of America.

“As President Obama said today, it is ultimately up to Congress to fix our broken immigration system. In Nevada, I have seen firsthand how the hardships imposed by our broken immigration system have hurt families and strained our economy. I am personally committed to resolving this issue. With the President’s leadership and members of both parties working together in the Senate, the momentum towards a solution is real, and I will work tirelessly to make reform a reality in the Senate.”

“I pledge that I will do everything in my power as Majority Leader to get a bill across the finish line.”

“With bipartisan support building in both houses of Congress and a President who is eager to solve this problem, there is no reason we should not pass comprehensive immigration reform immediately.”

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today about immigration reform. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery.

Last week, after the nation celebrated the second inauguration of President Barack Obama, I expressed a hope that this Congress would be characterized by a commitment to finding common ground. So I am pleased that a bipartisan group of eight Senators – four Democrats and four Republicans – will announce an agreement on a framework for comprehensive immigration reform this afternoon.

No one denies America’s immigration system is broken. As I have said, this is one of the most important legislative missions Congress will undertake this year. I applaud these Senators for setting partisanship aside to tackle a crucial issue facing our nation. But the true test of our Congressional leadership will be to pass a comprehensive bill.

As a Senator from Nevada, who has for years witnessed firsthand the difficulties our broken immigration system presents for immigrants and their families, it is very important to me, personally, that we finally resolve this issue. So I pledge that I will do everything in my power as Majority Leader to get a bill across the finish line. Nothing short of bipartisan success is acceptable to me.

President Obama has already taken commendable executive action to suspend deportation of upstanding young men and women who were brought to this country illegally by their parents. I thank President Obama for his leadership, and for making comprehensive immigration reform a top priority of his administration. And I am pleased President Obama will present to the nation his own ideas to fix the current, broken immigration system during a visit to Las Vegas tomorrow.

With bipartisan support building in both houses of Congress and a President who is eager to solve this problem, there is no reason we should not pass comprehensive immigration reform immediately. It will be good for our economy and good for immigrant families. But successful immigration reform cannot be piecemeal. And it must include a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented individuals in our country.

Legislators must craft a comprehensive solution that continues to secure the borders, punishes unscrupulous employers who exploit immigrants and undercut American wages, improves our dysfunctional legal immigration system and requires the 11 million people who are undocumented to register with the government, pay fines and taxes, learn English and get in the back of the line to obtain legal status. The framework proposed by the bipartisan group of eight Senators meets those criteria. And I hope we will soon have a bill to send through the committee process and bring to the Senate floor for a vote.

I have long said that when my Republican colleagues were truly ready to craft a common-sense, legislative solution that was tough, fair and practical, Democrats would stand ready to cooperate. For years, Democrats have been eager to pass comprehensive immigration reform. But Republicans have been unwilling to work to find common ground. So I am glad to see that some of my Republican colleagues finally seem ready to find a bipartisan way to correct the flaws in this nation’s immigration system – instead of just complaining that the system is broken.

“Fixing our broken immigration system is an urgent priority, and I fully support the efforts of the bipartisan group of senators seeking to solve this issue. We need a comprehensive solution that includes a tough but fair path to citizenship for the estimated eleven million individuals in our country who are undocumented, and a plan to secure our borders. This framework meets those criteria, and I am very encouraged to see this group making progress and finding common ground. The true test of our leadership will be passing common-sense legislation, and nothing short of success will be acceptable.

“President Obama has made immigration reform a top priority for his administration, and I thank him for his leadership. With bipartisan support building in both houses of Congress and a President eager to solve this problem, we should be able to get this done in the months ahead. The American people want a solution, our economy requires a solution, and families across America are praying for a solution. Now is the time to act.”

“Governor Romney has set an unfortunate deadline for hundreds of thousands of DREAMers: get approval under President Obama’s deferred action before inauguration, or risk being deported if Romney is sworn in. It’s hard to understand why he thinks that deporting hundreds of thousands of hard-working young people, who were brought as children to this country through no fault of their own, is good for the only nation they know and love. It is clear that Kris Kobach, the architect of Arizona’s unconstitutional and anti-immigrant law, is firmly dictating Romney’s extreme immigration policy, even when most Americans feel it’s the wrong approach.

“President Obama’s decision to lift the shadow of deportation for these young people is not only common-sense policy, but it also reflects our values as a nation of immigrants that cherishes hard work and love of country. Once again, Governor Romney has proven to be out of touch with the nation in which he lives.”

“I applaud President Obama and Secretary Napolitano for keeping their promise to implement a deferred action process that prioritizes the use of our law enforcement resources to focus on public safety threats, not innocent young people looking to contribute to our society. Starting today, this process will allow law enforcement to dedicate their efforts to going after violent criminals and those who pose risks to our national security, while preserving opportunity for thousands of young people who have grown up here and want to do more for the only country they have ever known. This is smart policy that will enhance our nation’s security while removing the specter of deportation that haunts DREAMers.

“I hope Republicans, especially those who expressed willingness to help these young people, will support the Administration’s efforts to provide them with a reprieve while Congress works out a path forward. The President can only do so much administratively. The onus is on Congress to permanently fix our broken immigration system. I call on my Republican colleagues to help us pass the DREAM Act along with comprehensive immigration reform that is tough, fair and practical.”

Background: Today’s announcement by DHS provides further clarity on how the application process for deferred action will work. According to DHS, deferred action will only be granted to eligible individuals on a case-by-case basis – as long as individuals can demonstrate through verifiable documentation that they meet the specified guidelines. Each applicant must cover the cost of their application, which is $465. For more information please go to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at: http://1.usa.gov/LhQrYl

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today regarding comprehensive immigration reform. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Monday’s United State Supreme Court decision to strike most of the unconstitutional Arizona immigration law reaffirmed something most of us already knew: the onus is on Congress to repair a broken system.

No one denies the system is broken.

But in the 48 hours since the Supreme Court’s ruling, Republicans have engaged in revisionist history to explain why it’s taken so long to fix it.

Here are the facts:

When Democrats brought a comprehensive immigration reform bill to the floor in 2007, Republicans filibustered the legislation – even though Republican President Bush supported it.

And they twice filibustered the DREAM Act – which would allow children brought to the country by their parents to go to college, serve in the military and work toward citizenship.

Democrats have been ready to pass comprehensive immigration reform for years.

It’s Republicans who are divided on this issue.

And every time Democrats offer to work together on comprehensive immigration reform – even bringing to the floor bipartisan ideas originally proposed by Republicans – the other side finds an excuse not to support change.

Yet Republicans blame Democrats for inaction.

Well, they can’t have it both ways – they can’t blame Democrats for not passing a bipartisan immigration bill when they were the ones who blocked the bill.

Moving forward, Congress has two things in its favor.

Thanks to President Obama’s decisive action, the specter of deportation no longer hangs over the heads of 800,000 young people brought to the country as children.

And the Supreme Court offered yet another affirmation that a long-term fix for our broken immigration system must come from Congress and not from the states.

Now is not the time to retreat to our corners. It’s the time to work together on a reasonable solution, one that:

• Continues to secure the borders,
• Punishes unscrupulous employers who exploit immigrants and undercut American wages,
• Improves our dysfunctional legal immigration system,
• And requires the 11 million people who are undocumented to register with the government, pay fines and taxes, learn English and get in the back of the line to obtain legal status.

If my Republican colleagues truly care about changing the status quo, they should step forward now and work with Democrats, not criticize from the sidelines.

Unfortunately, Republicans who once favored a permanent resolution for America’s broken immigration system are deserting efforts to find common ground.

And the only decisive Republican voice on this issue today seems to be Mitt Romney – who has called the unconstitutional Arizona law the “model” for reform.

Mitt Romney has also promised to veto the DREAM Act.

Democrats believe the kind of institutionalized racism in the Arizona law is hardly the “model” for reform in a country that stands for liberty and justice for all.

And we believe upstanding young people who have never known any home but the United States of America should go to college, fight for their country and contribute to society – not face deportation.

But at least we know where Mitt Romney stands on these issues, even if we disagree with him.

As long as Republicans remain unwilling to vote for comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform, we remain at an impasse.

But I want my Republican colleagues to know this: as soon as they are willing to join us to craft a common-sense, legislative solution that is tough, fair and practical, we are ready to join them.

Today, the Supreme Court correctly struck down the vast majority of the mean-spirited Arizona immigration law.

And while I agree with the Court’s decision to invalidate three troubling provisions of Arizona’s flawed law, I am concerned that the Court would leave any part of this law in place.

The justices upheld a measure that allows police to conduct immigration checks on anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally – even if their only evidence is an accent or skin color.

Allowing Arizona to keep its “papers please” system of immigration checks invites racial profiling.

And it gives Arizona officials free rein to detain anyone they suspect of being in the state without documentation.

As long as this provision remains, innocent American citizens are in danger of being detained by police unless they carry immigration papers with them at all times.

However, it is reassuring that the court left the door open to further challenges of this unsound provision.

I am optimistic that once that portion of the law is implemented, it will be discarded by the court as well.

Laws that legalize discrimination are not compatible with our nation’s ideals and traditions of equal rights.

So it is disturbing that Mitt Romney has called the Arizona law a “model” for immigration reform.

Anyone who thinks such an unconstitutional law should serve as a “model” for national reform is clearly outside the mainstream – and the U.S. Supreme Court agreed today.

Today’s partial victory affirms the Obama administration was right to challenge this awful law.

And it is a reminder that the ultimate responsibility for fixing our nation’s broken immigration system rests with Congress.

Instead of allowing 50 states to have 50 different enforcement mechanisms, we need a national solution that:

• Continues to secure the borders,
• Punishes unscrupulous employers who exploit immigrants and undercut American wages,
• Improves our dysfunctional legal immigration system,
• And requires the 11 million people who are undocumented to register with the government, pay fines and taxes, learn English and then go to the end of the line to legalize their status.

Democrats are ready for this challenge – to craft a common-sense, legislative solution that is tough, fair and practical.

We have been for years. The problem has always been that Republicans unwilling to vote for immigration reform.

A good first step would be to pass the DREAM Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for children brought to the country through no fault of their own.

If upstanding young people stay out of trouble and work hard in high school, they should have the chance to serve their country in the military, go to college and work toward citizenship.

Unfortunately, Mitt Romney has said he would veto the DREAM Act.

President Obama, on the other hand, took decisive action in halting deportation of the DREAMers.

His directive will protect 800,000 young people and focus law enforcement resources where they belong – on deporting criminals.

As we all know, it’s not a permanent solution.

But President Obama’s decision to defer these deportations was necessary precisely because Republicans have so far refused to work with Democrats on a solution.

Congress must consider a long-term resolution that protects the DREAMers, and tackles comprehensive immigration reform that addresses all 11 million undocumented people living in this country.

But that will take cooperation from our Republican colleagues.

We have a lot to accomplish this week – and getting it all done before the July Fourth holiday will also take cooperation.

By Friday the Senate must:

• Pass flood insurance legislation that will allow millions of Americans to close on new homes.
• Send to President Obama’s desk a bipartisan bill to ease drug shortages.
• And protect 3 million American jobs with an agreement on transportation legislation.

And the deadline to stop student loan rates from doubling for 7 million students looms at the end of the week as well.

I am putting my colleagues on notice that the Senate will stay as long as it takes – into the weekend if necessary – to complete this substantial workload.

“The Supreme Court was right to strike down the vast majority of the Arizona law. With three out of the four provisions being struck down, the ruling shows that the Obama administration was right to challenge this law, which was not just ill-advised but also unconstitutional.

“I am greatly concerned that the provision putting American citizens in danger of being detained by police unless they carry their immigration papers at all times will lead to a system of racial profiling. This is a strong reminder that ultimately, the responsibility for fixing our nation’s broken immigration system lies with Congress. President Obama’s decision to defer deportation of young people brought here through no fault of their own was necessary precisely because Republicans have so far refused to work with Democrats on forging common-sense solutions to our immigration challenge that are fair, tough and practical. Immigration reform should continue securing our borders; punish unscrupulous employers who exploit immigrants and undercut American wages; pass the DREAM Act; and require the 11 million who are undocumented to register with the government, learn English, pay fines, pay taxes and go to the end of the line to legalize their status.

“Looking ahead to the immigration debate, it is disturbing that Mitt Romney called the unconstitutional Arizona law a ‘model’ for immigration reform. Laws that legalize discrimination are not compatible with our nation’s ideals and traditions of equal rights, and the idea that such an unconstitutional law should serve as a ‘model’ for national reform is far outside the American mainstream.”

“This is as strong a repudiation of the Arizona law as one could expect given that the law has not been implemented yet. Three linchpins of the Arizona law were struck down by a convincing majority of the Court as clearly violating federal law, and a fourth is on thin legal ice. The Court is sending a stern warning to Arizona that the provision allowing local law enforcement to check people’s immigration documents cannot be implemented in a discriminatory or draconian way, or it will be thrown out like the rest of the law.

“This decision tells us that states cannot take the law into their own hands and makes it clear that the only real solution to immigration reform is a comprehensive federal law. The decision should importune Republicans and Democrats to work together on this issue in a bipartisan way.”

–U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer

Sen. McConnell: Waiting for Romney on Immigration

“Senate Republican leaders said Tuesday to stay tuned regarding their reaction to President Barack Obama’s Friday announcement on immigration, underscoring the political conundrum Republicans are faced with on the sensitive issue.”

McConnell: Romney should take GOP lead on immigration policy

“Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that GOP lawmakers will wait for Mitt Romney to take the lead on immigration policy.”

 Mitch McConnell Dodges On Immigration

“Your move, Mitt Romney.  That’s the tack Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is taking in response to the Obama administration’s recent policy move to allow as many as 800,000 young illegal immigrants to avoid deportation.”

McConnell declines to take position on Obama’s immigration decision, until Romney does

“McConnell said he would wait — until presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney had taken a position first.”

Mitch McConnell Waiting on Mitt Romney on DREAM Act

 “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said today he’s waiting for presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney to announce a position on whether he supports deporting young illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children.”

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today regarding Republican hypocrisy on immigration reform and the DREAM Act. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Republicans in Congress are fond of complaining that this country’s immigration system is broken. They’re less interested in working with Democrats to fix it.

No one disagrees that America’s immigration system needs repair.

But every time Democrats offer to work together on comprehensive immigration reform, Republicans find an excuse to fight sensible change.

And every time Democrats propose bipartisan legislation to provide a pathway to citizenship for children brought here illegally through no fault of their own, Republicans find an excuse to oppose our practical reforms.

There is no better illustration of Republicans’ hypocrisy than their phony outrage over the weekend.

On Friday, President Obama announced the Administration would suspend deportation of upstanding young people brought here illegally as children – provided they attend college or serve in the military.

More than 800,000 young people who have done well in school and stayed out of trouble will benefit from this policy – and hopefully go on to be productive members of society.

In the past, Republicans have expressed broad support for the principles of President Obama’s directive.

And Senator Marco Rubio, the Junior Senator from Florida, has even talked up a similar idea to the press for months, although he never actually produced a proposal.

Yet Republicans’ glowing expressions of support for the President’s decision were not forthcoming. Instead, Republicans have cried about the way the directive was issued.

• They prefer a long-term solution.
• They don’t like the timing.
• They should have been consulted, and an issue this important should have been left to Congress.

The complaints are varied, but they have one thing in common: none of them actually take issue with the substance of President Obama’s directive.

Leading Republican voices on immigration have yet to actually disagree with the decision.

They just don’t like the way President Obama made the decision – or that he will get the credit for bringing out of the shadows 800,000 trustworthy young men and women who know no other home but the United States.

But Republicans are right about one thing. President Obama’s directive is not a permanent solution – it’s a temporary fix.

So I remind my colleagues in both Houses of Congress – the next move is ours.

This reprieve for DREAMers shouldn’t be seen as a free pass for Congress.

Instead we should see it as a chance for Democrats and Republicans to work together on a lasting answer to the serious shortfalls of our broken immigration system.

And as we work, we’ll have the benefit of knowing the specter of deportation no longer hangs over the heads of hundreds of thousands of young people.

So now is hardly the time to walk away from the DREAM Act, which would have created a pathway to citizenship for young people brought to the country through no fault of their own.

And it’s certainly no time to abandon calls for comprehensive immigration reform that’s tough, fair and practical.

But that’s exactly what Republicans are doing – they’re taking their marbles and going home.

Since Friday, leading Republican voices on immigration reform have all but ceded the debate until after the election.

Republicans who once favored a permanent solution for America’s broken immigration system are now abandoning efforts to find common ground.

And the same Republicans who complained they weren’t involved enough in the President’s decision are now giving up any involvement in the broader immigration conversation.

It makes you wonder whether they were ever really committed to passing the DREAM Act or tackling comprehensive immigration reform.

After all, Senate Republicans have twice had their chance to vote for the DREAM Act. Both times they filibustered the measure.

So perhaps it should come as no surprise that my Republican colleagues are more interested in complaining about a system that’s broken, than in working with Democrats to fix it.

Astrid Silva is an average 24-year-old.

The Las Vegas resident is fascinated with Nevada history – from the mysteries of Area 51 to the days when the mob ran casinos.

Astrid is active in her community and in local politics.

And one day she would like to come to Washington, D.C., to see the Declaration of Independence.

Astrid recently completed her Associates degree at the College of Southern Nevada. And she dreams of completing her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

But there’s one thing standing in Astrid’s way: she’s not an American citizen.

Twenty years ago this week – when Astrid was just four years old – her parents brought her to the United States.

She doesn’t even remember Mexico, the country where she was born. She speaks perfect English. She was an honor student in high school.

And she’s never called anyplace but Nevada her home.

So of course I thought of this brave young woman when President Obama announced Friday that he would suspend deportation of young people, like Astrid, who were brought to this country illegally when they were only children.

Astrid has been looking over her shoulder – afraid of deportation – ever since she stepped out of the shadows to push Congress to pass the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act would create a pathway to citizenship for upstanding young people who were brought to the country through no fault of their own, and want to attend college or serve this nation in the Armed Forces.

The DREAM Act isn’t amnesty. Rather, it rewards responsibility with opportunity.

Astrid’s handwritten letters convinced me years ago of the importance of this issue. Unfortunately, Republican opposition has stalled this legislation.

But thanks to President Obama, Astrid and 800,000 other young people who are American in all but paperwork no longer need to live in fear of deportation.

President Obama’s directive to suspend deportation of the DREAMers comes after a yearlong review.

It will be applied on a case-by-case basis.

It frees up law enforcement resources to focus on people who actually threaten public safety and national security.

And it removes the specter of deportation that has hovered over deserving young men and women.

I congratulate President Obama for this courageous decision – a decision that benefits both the DREAMers and our nation as a whole.

Like Astrid, these young people share our language. They share our culture. And they share our love for America – the only country they know.

They are talented, patriotic men and women who want to defend our nation in the military, get a college education, work hard and contribute to their communities and this country.

And when they pledge allegiance, it’s to the United States of America.

Unfortunately, President Obama’s directive is temporary. The onus is now on Congress to protect the DREAMers and fix our broken immigration system once and for all.

Comprehensive immigration reform should be tough, fair and practical. It should:

• Continue efforts to secure our borders;
• Hold unscrupulous employers accountable;
• Reform our nation’s legal immigration system;
• And require 11 million undocumented people to register with the government, pay taxes and fines, learn English and get in the back of the line.

Some Republicans have suggested a solution to the DREAMer’s terrible dilemma should have come from Congress, not the President.

But it’s Republican opposition that has prevented Congress from acting.

In fact, Senate Republicans blocked the DREAM Act twice.

And many Republicans who once said they favor a long-term fix for America’s broken immigration system are now abandoning efforts to find common ground.

The President has taken decisive action in offering this directive. But he can only do so much by himself.

For Astrid’s sake – and for the sake of every American – it is time Congress became part of the solution.

I hope my Republican colleagues will finally join Democrats to find a bipartisan way to mend this nation’s flawed immigration system – instead of just complaining that the system is broken.

“I congratulate President Obama and Secretary Napolitano for this thoughtful decision that benefits not just the DREAMers and the young people seeking a future in the only country they’ve ever known, but our entire nation as well. These young people were brought here through no fault of their own, and many do not even remember the countries where they were born. When they pledge allegiance, it is to the United States. They belong to this country culturally and linguistically and are American in all but paperwork. These talented individuals want to defend our nation in our military, and contribute to our country through their hard work.

“President Obama’s courageous decision removes the specter of deportation that hovered over these deserving individuals and frees up law enforcement resources to focus on people who are a threat to our public safety and national security. I hope Republicans, especially those who have voiced a willingness to help these young people, will support the Administration’s directive.

“The President can only do so much administratively and this measure is temporary and limited by current law. The onus is now on Congress to permanently fix our broken immigration system, and I call on my Republican colleagues to help us pass the DREAM Act along with comprehensive immigration reform that is tough, fair and practical. We need to secure our borders; hold unscrupulous employers accountable; reform our nation’s legal immigration system; and require the 11 million who are undocumented to register with the government, pay taxes, pay fines, learn English and then go back to the end of the line.”

Note: For more information please go to the Department of Homeland Security at:
http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/20120612-napolitano-announces-deferred-action-process-for-young-people.shtm

“Arizona’s anti-immigrant legislation opens the door to racial profiling and therefore has no place among our nation’s laws. This law goes against what we stand for as a nation. American citizens and legal residents of any state in this great nation should not have to fear harassment because of their appearance or their accent. I am confident the Supreme Court will find this law unconstitutional.

“I commend the Obama Administration for challenging this unjust law. We need comprehensive immigration reform, not a patchwork of fifty different immigration laws. Our immigration system is broken, but the Republican party that has enacted anti-immigrant laws such as Arizona’s and Alabama’s is the same party whose members refuse to work with Democrats to bring about comprehensive immigration reform in Washington. I remain hopeful that my Republican colleagues will join us at the negotiating table soon.”

Washington, D.C.—Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued the following statement after the Obama Administration announced measures to make immigration enforcement more efficient and effective by executing a case-by-case review of individuals currently in removal proceedings, and those who may be placed in proceedings in the future. This will help focus on our highest deportation priorities such as violent criminals. The Department of Homeland Security announced the changes in a response to a letter Senator Reid and 21 other Democratic senators sent to the President on April 13:

“I applaud President Obama for taking this decisive step to bring our immigration enforcement policies more in line with our national security and public safety priorities. This new DHS directive will help prioritize our limited enforcement resources to focus on serious felons, gang members and individuals who are a national security threat rather than college students and veterans who have risked their lives for our country. This commonsense approach will address an untenable situation where the deportations of foreign drug traffickers and violent criminals face long delays because our immigration courts are overwhelmed by low-priority cases of individuals with no criminal records.

“I am especially pleased about the impact these new policies will have on those who would benefit from the DREAM Act. These young people are American in all but paperwork: in language, culture, love for this land, and yearning to serve in our military, or become college graduates who fully contribute to our nation. We lose a lot by sending them back to countries they do not know.

“The President’s decision is a step in the right direction. However, the solution to our broken immigration system must come from Congress. Once more, I ask my Republican colleagues to join Democrats in enacting tough, smart, and fair comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders; strengthens existing immigration laws; and requires the approximately 11 million people in this country illegally to register with the government and get right with the law.”

“Sen. Cornyn really earned his ‘Biggest Hypocrite on Immigration’ award today. If he spent a little less time talking out of both sides of his mouth and more time working with us, we could actually pass comprehensive immigration reform. He claims he wants solutions and expresses ‘sympathy’ for those caught in our broken immigration system, yet he consistently votes against fixing the system, and even voted against the DREAM Act twice within the past year.

“Sen. Reid has devoted unprecedented amounts of floor time to efforts to enact immigration reform. If Senator Cornyn truly wants to fix our broken immigration system, he could simply sign on to Democrats’ comprehensive reform bill, and join us to pass the DREAM Act.”

“No one can deny we have made significant strides in securing our border – with more border patrol agents, better surveillance technology and a stronger fence than ever before. Democrats know there’s more work to be done, which is why we successfully fought a Republican budget that would have fired border agents and put our safety at risk. But as the President said today, to fix our broken immigration system, we must honestly assesses our immigration policies and their impact on our economy, legal system and local governments, and pursue a comprehensive solution to the problem.

“We need an effective and efficient legal immigration system. Part of securing our nation is knowing who is already here, so we must require the 11 million undocumented immigrants to register with the government, pay taxes and fines, learn English and go to the back of the line before they can achieve legal status. We should give the best and brightest students from around the globe – who come here to take advantage of our world-class education system – a chance to start businesses that employ American workers. And we should give children brought to this country through no fault of their own the opportunity through the DREAM Act to earn legal status if they serve in our armed forces or attend college.

“The path to mend our broken system may have begun with a more secure border and more agents to guard it. But it doesn’t end there. I’m pleased the President laid out a blueprint for comprehensive immigration reform that tackles the problem from all fronts.”

“No one can deny we have made significant strides in securing our border – with more border patrol agents, better surveillance technology and a stronger fence than ever before. Democrats know there’s more work to be done, which is why we successfully fought a Republican budget that would have fired border agents and put our safety at risk. But as the President said today, to fix our broken immigration system, we must honestly assesses our immigration policies and their impact on our economy, legal system and local governments, and pursue a comprehensive solution to the problem.

“We need an effective and efficient legal immigration system. Part of securing our nation is knowing who is already here, so we must require the 11 million undocumented immigrants to register with the government, pay taxes and fines, learn English and go to the back of the line before they can achieve legal status. We should give the best and brightest students from around the globe – who come here to take advantage of our world-class education system – a chance to start businesses that employ American workers. And we should give children brought to this country through no fault of their own the opportunity through the DREAM Act to earn legal status if they serve in our armed forces or attend college.

“The path to mend our broken system may have begun with a more secure border and more agents to guard it. But it doesn’t end there. I’m pleased the President laid out a blueprint for comprehensive immigration reform that tackles the problem from all fronts.”