Immigration
America is a nation of immigrants, and I am proud of our heritage of inclusion that defines us all as Americans. Our district, our state, and our nation are stronger when we embrace diversity and celebrate the contributions of immigrant communities.
Our current immigration system is broken, and I support comprehensive immigration reform to modernize it, including a strict but fair pathway to citizenship. I support the reversal of the Trump Administration’s inhumane and counterproductive immigration policies, and believe we should focus on alleviating the conditions which drive waves of immigrants to leave their home countries.
I am a proud supporter of the Dream and Promise Act, and I will continue to work to protect Dreamers who’ve known no other home but the United States.
More on Immigration
Washington, DC—This weekend, newly elected House Speaker Paul D. Ryan announced he would be unwilling to bring up immigration reform, saying "it would be a ridiculous notion to try and work on an issue like this with a president we simply cannot trust on this issue."
Laura Katauskas, Bugle Newspaper
The news regarding President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration reform sent a whirlwind of emotions and charges across the states, but also left questions on what the move really means for undocumented immigrants.
Organizers of the Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project set up informational meetings days after the announcement, hoping to quell any misinformation.
Joseph Trevino, Arizona Daily Star
For years, Jorge toiled in the kitchen of a Mexican restaurant.
In the midst of hot ovens and the frantic pace of food preparation, where the long hours tortured his feet and racked his lower back, Jorge, a native of Mexico, dreamed of one day getting his legal resident papers, which would permit him to join the U.S. Army.
Ashlee Rezin, Progress Illinois
Inaction on immigration reform will have negative consequences for the mostly white, male-dominated Republican Party during next year's election, according to a group of protesters who vowed Saturday to vote Illinois' GOP congressional delegates out of office if they do not work towards passing legislation that would overhaul the nation's broken immigration system.
Mike Danahey, Aurora Beacon-News
Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner is one of 21 elected heads of larger Illinois municipalities who recently wrote to the state's congressional delegation in Washington imploring members to overhaul immigration laws as a way to repair and boost the economy.
The leaders signed a letter that says new laws focusing on all immigrants, regardless of citizenship status, will create jobs and raise revenues. An estimated 11 million immigrants are living in the U.S. illegally.
Katharina Obser, The Hill
ICE has worked to develop and implement some critical improvements to the system, though additional reforms remain needed. One overarching obstacle overshadowing much of this: the bed "mandate." As Congress returns from the brink of the fiscal cliff, and as a new candidate prepares for confirmation to lead the Department of Homeland Security, now is a key moment to consider responsible ways to shrink the federal budget.
Bloomberg
Imagine if Congress mandated that an arbitrary number of jail cells be filled with prisoners -- regardless of the crime rate. Authorities would be required to incarcerate people, no matter the circumstances or the affront to human rights. That's basically the state of immigration detention in the U.S.
Van Le, America's Voice
Imagine if a law enforcement agency insisted on incarcerating a certain number of prisoners, every day, every year, regardless of how many of those prisoners actually needed to be there; what the actual crime rate was; and whether there was another, cheaper way to keep track of them.
Progress Illinois
U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL,11) discussed the positive impact immigrants have on the housing market and the overall economy.
Bugle Newspaper
After collecting 2,200 postcards from local residents backing immigration reform, a group from Joliet's Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church delivered them Aug. 30 to U.S rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville.
The members of Nuevo Horizonte, or New Horizon, want sweeping changes in the current immigration system. They gathered many of the cards this summer during visits to Catholic parishes in Foster's 11th Congressional District, which includes all or parts of Aurora, Bolingbrook, Darien, Joliet, Montgomery, Naperville, New Lenox, Shorewood and Woodridge.