Arizona senator Ruben Gallego tells Democrats to 'stay mad' and 'fight' Trump admin in courts over immigration reform and border security
Enhanced Immigration Policy Proposal by Democrats Includes More Border Patrol Agents and a Selective Route to Citizenship for Qualified Migrants
Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona, got the attention of his fellow Democrats during a town hall meeting in Pennsylvania over the weekend.
Gallego, a son of Mexican and Colombian immigrants, has put forth a border security and immigration reform plan that has been endorsed by several House Democrats.
Gallego's plan proposes a five-pillar framework designed to reflect his commitment to safeguarding the southern border while also pushing for immigration reform.
"We don't need to pick between border security and immigration reform," Gallego said.
"We can—and should—do both."
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ICE officer and Sen. Ruben Gallego (Getty)
Gallego's approach to border security may seem like it belongs to the Republican side, but it merges GOP priorities, such as beefing up the Border Patrol, with Democratic favorites like creating a "pathway to citizenship" for select migrants, contributing to the economy.
Gallego's proposal also tackles the issue of asylum cases by proposing to hire more officers to expedite claim processing and to increase authority in determining the outcomes of applicants' cases. Additionally, the plan emphasizes the importance of enforcing that other countries share the responsibility of resettling asylum seekers and address the root causes of migration, such as cartel violence and economic instability in their homelands.
The plan also includes enhancing the annual green card quota and increasing the use of e-Verify, a system that ensures employees' legal status when working in the U.S.
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"I commend Sen. Gallego for this practical and necessary framework," said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Texas Democrat who supports the plan.
"More Democrats need to move to the middle on this issue and adopt this type of approach," he said.
"As a border-district congressman, I know it's past time we reform our asylum system, stop the flow of dangerous drugs by empowering our Border Patrol officers, create legal paths, attack the root causes of illegal migration, and ensure communities along the border can live safely and prosper."
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) from the north also lent his support to the plan.
"Sen. Gallego is a serious Democratic leader, and I applaud him for offering a balanced immigration policy that secures our borders, reforms the broken asylum system, fuels economic growth, and treats immigrants with respect," Suozzi said.
"We can accomplish all these goals without catering to the far left's impractical demands or the far right's extreme prejudice."
Dismissing the plan, the White House responded via spokesperson Kush Desai, who said Gallego should "read the news."
"We don't need a new bill to secure our southern border, end illegal parole abuse, and encourage other countries to crack down on illegal immigration into the United States. We just needed President Trump back in office."
Our website reporter Charles Creitz covers media, politics, and culture for our website Digital, having joined our team since 2013. The Pennsylvania native graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Connect with Charles at [email protected] for story tips.
Enrichment Data:
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego's plan focuses on five main areas for border security and immigration reform:
- Border Security: Gallego advocates for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents, investing in drug detection technology, and modernizing port infrastructure to improve border control.
- Reform of the Asylum Process: The plan intends to streamline the asylum process by hiring more officers to handle claims, granting them greater authority in determining case outcomes, and preventing abuse of the system.
- Pathway to Citizenship: Gallego's proposal offers a path to citizenship for specific migrants, such as Dreamers and spouses of U.S. citizens who have been residing in the country and contributing to the economy.
- Expansion of Legal Immigration Pathways: The plan attempts to increase the annual green card limit, create more legal avenues for immigrants in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and construction, and ensure American workers are protected.
- Addressing Underlying Migration Issues: Gallego's plan emphasizes working with other nations to address issues like regional instability, drug trafficking, and economic hardships faced by asylum seekers.
Sen. Ruben Gallego's border security and immigration reform plan proposes a bipartisan approach, merging Republican priorities like beefing up the Border Patrol with Democratic focuses such as creating a pathway to citizenship for select migrants, contributing to the economy. This plan also includes streamlining the asylum process, increasing legal immigration pathways, and tackling underlying migration issues like cartel violence and economic instability in migrants' homelands.
Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a supporter of Gallego's plan, urges more Democrats to adopt a similar approach, emphasizing the need to reform the asylum system, secure the borders, fuel economic growth, and treat immigrants with respect, without catering to extremist views on either side.
