The Heritage Foundation has released a paper outlining how the incoming Republican Congress can overhaul the American immigration system, which they suggest has been left in ruins by the Biden administration. Author Lora Ries argues that the immigration system has been dysfunctional for decades, making legal immigration complicated and slow while illegal immigration went unpunished. The paper criticizes the Biden administration for blurring the line between legal and illegal immigration, abusing humanitarian parole, and promoting open borders.
The paper lays out five principles for revamping the immigration system, including upholding the rule of law, ensuring that the system serves the American people, and creating a more secure and sustainable system. Specific recommendations include revoking visas for those supporting terrorist groups, requiring proof of citizenship to vote, abolishing the lottery system for green cards, and implementing E-Verify. The paper also calls for increased border security measures, including giving Border Patrol expulsion authority during national crises and ensuring that immigration detention is necessary for public safety.
In terms of legal immigration, the paper recommends simplifying the Immigration and Nationality Act, eliminating waivers and exemptions, and pausing the intake of new immigrants during times of backlogs. It also suggests excluding illegal immigrants from benefits such as bank accounts and opposing all forms of amnesty. The paper emphasizes the importance of assimilation for maintaining a united country and calls for limiting due process in immigration proceedings.
President-elect Trump has made immigration and border security top priorities for his administration, appointing Tom Homan as the “border czar” and nominating Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Many Republican lawmakers who won their elections in November focused on illegal immigration at the southern border and criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis. The Heritage Foundation’s roadmap provides a blueprint for Congress to follow in fundamentally overhauling the American immigration system to prioritize the interests of American citizens and ensure a fair, secure, and manageable system.
