With renewed calls for comprehensive immigration reform, it’s important to take a step back and realize this is a complex issue that can be solved with incremental changes. During my time in Congress, I tried to focus on issues where compromise was possible and to listen to my constituents. I stand by those ideals and continue to believe they offer the best path forward for our country and the Republican Party. People want a Congress that works.
If centrists and commonsense conservatives want to lead the country, we must reassert ourselves as a party of hope and potential for all who are willing to work for a brighter future.
Today, voters have elected an evenly split Senate and a House of Representatives separated by a historically slim margin. The mandate for Congress to deliver results by finding common ground has never been stronger. Republicans must use this moment to remind everyone that the GOP is a party capable of constructive action and commonsense legislation by leveraging issues with widespread support.
They should start by passing the Dream Act.
The bipartisan Dream Act was recently reintroduced by Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, and Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, two senators from opposite ends of the political spectrum. The legislation would allow immigrants who were brought into the U.S. as children to apply for permanent residence in the U.S.
While it may not be a surprise to the 71% who currently disapprove of Congress, similar legislation has failed to cross the finish line for 20 years. Our country has needed to find a solution for this unique group of immigrants who were raised as Americans for an entire generation, and Congress must finally get the job done. Polls show that nearly 75% support allowing “Dreamers” to stay and continue contributing to our country and economy, and Republican leaders would be wise to listen.
Remember, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was created through an executive order in 2012 only after Congress failed to act. It offered temporary protections to keep those young people from being deported but does not provide a pathway to citizenship. Since then, constant legal battles have left in limbo the lives of DACA-eligible U.S. residents, a group estimated to be near 700,000.
When I represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. House, more than 17,000 of these immigrants called my state home, and I joined other Republicans in advocating for a DACA legislative solution. I still believe in my former Republican colleagues’ ability to see this opportunity as the right thing to do for the future of our party, our country, and our economy.
We must remain committed to our belief in the potential of each individual, regardless of background and circumstance. People see the positive influence of “Dreamers” and the value they bring to our country. DACA beneficiaries add $42 billion to the economy each year and pay almost $9 billion in taxes.
Beyond injecting billions into our economy, “Dreamers” and immigrants as a whole have supported the country in millions of essential roles during our pandemic response. One of the few bright spots of the past year has been our country’s overdue recognition of the essential workers who often risk their safety for the good of the country. Currently, about 200,000 DACA recipients work in essential roles in healthcare, food service, transportation, education, and more. An estimated 23 million immigrants are essential workers. Recognizing their value and potential should be a priority for all elected officials.
Congress is capable of navigating those challenges, but too often, our leaders put forward sweeping bills unable to garner the bipartisan support voters so desperately want to see. Instead of tackling immigration in one fell swoop, Congress should commit to a comprehensive process. Step one in that process should be passing a bill such as the Dream Act, which has the rare ability to bridge the partisan divide and make our country a better place.
Congressional Republicans should lead the way in making the Dream Act a reality.
Charlie Dent is a Republican who represented Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2005 to 2018.
