Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

Creating workable immigration laws

I believe that Maine's immigrant community is an important part of the future of the state. Maine is made of immigrants -- from the Scotch-Irish, to the French Canadians, and now new immigrants from Africa and the Middle East. Comprehensive, just, and humane immigration reform must be undertaken -- reform that recognizes our immigrant heritage and future, and that creates effective and enforceable immigration laws to promote business, jobs, and legal immigration. We shouldn't reward illegal activity, but we can't punish innocent people, like the children of illegal immigrants. As John McCain said in 2005: "[The 10 to 11 million undocumented immigrants] are working. . . . We have a national interest in identifying these individuals, incentivizing them to come forward out of the shadows, go through security background checks, pay back taxes… Anyone who thinks this goal can be achieved without providing an eventual path to a permanent legal status is not serious about solving this problem."

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