Immigration Reform – Good for Congress

Immigration reform appears to be in trouble due to growing Republican resistance. It will be a mistake for the party to lose a chance to put the issue behind them and, more importantly, improve their reputation for being able to accomplish something.

Numerous polls show the public supports immigration reform at very high levels as long as it is framed as requiring undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. pay a penalty, learn English, pass a criminal background check, pay taxes, wait a minimum of 10 years before they are eligible for citizenship and have a job. The latest PPP poll claims 69 percent of Coloradans favor that position (PPP used 13 years and didn’t include a job).

What is also clear is Congress will only recover its reputation by accomplishing something. Immigration reform may be one of the few items that has a reasonable chance of passing this year.

Congress is now on the bottom of a list of American institutions, most of which are below 50 percent of the public saying that they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in.

The top reason people disapprove of Congress is its lack of accomplishment.

See:
The Buzz: Immigration reform will benefit Republican Party
The Buzz: Make immigrants pay taxes
The Buzz: RNC – Comprehensive immigration reform
Denver Post: Poll: More than 70 percent of Coloradans support immigration reform
Gallup: Gridlock is top reason Americans are critical of Congress
Gallup: Americans’ confidence in Congress fails to lowest on record