AAF President Douglas Holtz-Eakin Testifies on Immigration Reform
Douglas Holtz-Eakin
In today’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, AAF President Douglas Holtz-Eakin discusses the challenges for legalizing essential workers and the potential for immigration reform.
His central points:
Legalization of a variety of categories of undocumented immigrants, such as the proposed Citizenship for Essential Workers Act – is an important aspect of federal immigration reform, but such reforms should also include securing borders and reforming the visa system to contribute to stronger economic growth;
The economic impact and legal merit of legalizing essential workers does not appear to be large, and may well produce undesirable migration incentives; and
Legalizing Essential Workers and Immigration Reform
Douglas Holtz-Eakin
Testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety The views expressed here are my own and do not represent the position of the American Action Forum. I thank Whitney Appel for tremendous assistance in preparing this testimony. All remaining errors are my own.
Introduction
Chairman Padilla, Ranking Member Cornyn and members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear today. In this testimony, I wish to make three basic points:
Legalization of a variety of categories of undocumented immigrants, such as the proposed Citizenship for Essential Workers Act – is an important aspect of federal immigration reform, but such reforms should also include securing borders and reforming the visa system to contribute to stronger economic growth;
When Sen. Alex Padilla took the California Senate seat left by V.P. Kamala Harris, the American immigrant story achieved two remarkable milestones.
Harris’ election to the vice presidency marked the unprecedented ascendancy of the first woman, Black and Asian, to a top political office, while Padilla became the first ever Latino to represent California in the United States senate. After twenty seven years of fighting for immigrant rights, Alex Padilla is finally in a position to achieve the immigration reforms he has long pursued.
Senator Alex Padilla, CA
In his new role Padilla has promised to restore humanity, dignity and respect to the immigration process, a commitment reflected in the new title he’s given to the immigration subcommittee. It will now be known as the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety.