by the El Reportero Editorial Board
Forty years have passed since Republican President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which allowed approximately 2.7 million undocumented immigrants to obtain legal status. Many went on to become productive citizens, start businesses, raise families, and contribute to America’s prosperity.
I personally know people who benefited from that legislation. Their lives changed because the country gave them an opportunity.
Why, then, have Republicans and Democrats been unable to reach another comprehensive agreement?
For decades, immigration has become a political football. When one party proposes solutions, the other often resists, more concerned with preventing its opponent from claiming a victory than with solving the problem.
Meanwhile, powerful economic interests benefit from undocumented labor. Without legal protections, many workers accept low wages and difficult working conditions for fear of losing their jobs or being deported.
Both parties must accept responsibility.
Millions of immigrants have lived here for years, working, paying taxes, raising U.S.-born children, and contributing to their communities. Some hold college degrees they cannot put to use; others work multiple jobs, with no time to learn English or improve their qualifications.
Imagine a child who wears a size seven shoe. As the child grows, the shoes become too small, making it uncomfortable to walk. The child needs a larger pair.
Societies experience something similar. When economic opportunities disappear and families can no longer make ends meet, people seek places where they can build a better future. Migration is not always a choice; often, it is a matter of survival.
Of course, immigration laws must be respected. A reasonable legalization program could require years of residency, an employment history, a clean criminal record, tax compliance, and ties to the community.
Those who have committed serious crimes should be treated differently from those who violated immigration laws to find work and survive. Lack of legal immigration status should not erase a person’s dignity or potential.
Legalization must also come with responsibility, encourage employment and self-sufficiency, and prevent employers from exploiting workers.
The United States needs workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers, and families. With declining birth rates and an aging population, the country must consider how to sustain its future workforce and economic prosperity. Many of these potential contributors are already here. Why keep them in the shadows?
Reform would also benefit other countries across the Americas. Workers earning better wages could support relatives, invest in their communities, and reduce the economic pressures that drive migration.
Instead of endless confrontations and partisan accusations, Congress must remember that its members were elected to solve problems.
Republicans should follow Reagan’s example, and Democrats should recognize that meaningful reform requires negotiation and compromise. Neither party should claim sole credit.
The United States is like a large ship carrying people from different backgrounds. When a storm approaches, survival depends on cooperation, not on passengers fighting over who gets to steer the vessel.
Forty years have passed since the last major legalization program. How many more generations must live in fear before Washington takes action?
America achieved its prosperity through opportunity, hard work, and human determination.
It is time for both parties to put the country and its people ahead of political victories.
Edited to fit available space.
