Ask the Expert - Marshall Fitz on Immigration Reform

What is issues will lawmakers likely discuss at their first White House meeting on immigration reform?

We anticipate that the president will set the tone for the meeting by reaffirming his deep and abiding commitment to immigration reform and starting the conversation with members of both parties about what the legislative process should look like and what the timing on that should be. It's likely that he will also express his commitment to bipartisan effort in this process. I think that he understands and will make the case for why, given the breadth of the problem, given the implications for the nation as a whole, that it's very important that bipartisan group of members come together to solve this problem. Now many of the individuals that have been invited to the meeting have expressed some reservation or some doubt about the president's willingness and commitment to move them forward on this issue. So I do think much of the conversation will center on timing of legislation, the process for negotiating a bill, and, perhaps, what a roadmap for moving legislation forward might look like this year.

Can immigration reform really happen this year and why should Congress make immigration reform a priority?

Immigration reform definitely can happen this year and Congress must make it a priority. Here's why: the American public is really frustrated with Congress's inability to solve tough problems. They are in a very solution-oriented frame of mind. It is time for Congress to address both immigration reform, the health care crisis, and the economic crisis. These issues do not need to be sequenced. Congress can handle all of these issues at once. In fact, the American public expects Congress and the President to walk and chew gum at the same time now, especially with regard to the economic crisis. Many people have been arguing that "oh this is going to prevent immigration reform from going forward" or "it's going to prevent other domestic policy initiatives from going forward," but the fact is immigration reform must go forward because of, not in spite of, the economic crisis. Real immigration reform will level the playing field for all workers and all employers, it will require undocumented immigrants to become fully contributing legal taxpayers, and in fact it will advance our economic recovery and our domestic policy goals.

What principles should guide immigration reform going forward?

At the Center for American Progress we believe that there are five basic principles that should govern the negotiation and development of the bill. First and foremost, we have to resolve the status of the undocumented population. It is economically and morally unjustifiable for the richest nation in the history of the planet to have 5 percent of its workforce working and living in the shadows. Second, we have to acknowledge the realities of a 21st century globalized economy, and recognize that facilitating labor mobility and strengthening legal immigration channels will actually advance our core economic interests. Third, we have to be very attentive to the impact that these demographic changes are having on the U.S. workforce. So any immigration reform package must include strong labor protections. We need to do a better job in this country of integrating immigrants into the fabric of American society. So we need to strengthen English as a second language courses, access to those programs, and we also need to strengthen civic education programs. And fifth and finally, it is imperative that we get smart about our enforcement policies and priorities. We need to restore the rule of law at the border. We need to restore the rule of law in our workplaces, but we also need to make sure that we are protecting the rights of all individuals in this country. If we can develop legislation that meets all of these principles we will go a long way towards enhancing and improving the quality of life for immigrants in this country as well as the long-term economic outlook for this country.