My Open Letter to Senator Robert Portman
December 11, 2013
Senator Portman,
My name is Brendon Richey and I am currently a student at the University of Cincinnati with a major in Social Work. As a social worker, I am held to the Code of Ethics written by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Within this code there is a section on social and political action that states: Social workers should act to expand choice and opportunity for all people, with special regard for vulnerable, disadvantaged, oppressed, and exploited people and groups. Bound by this code and my own morals, I write to you today encouraging you to change some points in your stance on immigration.
Let me begin by saying that I do not hope to change your views, everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. What I do hope to change: the way in which your reaction to immigration reform shapes legislation. Many of your positions are valid. I believe that most senators attempt to do what is right in upholding the law. However, you are positioned to do more than just uphold the law. As a senator, you have the ability to improve it.
On your website portman.senate.gov you have a section titled Press Releases and under this section there is a press release from June 27, 2013 that states your views on immigration reform. Some of the key points within your press release are: we need more border enforcement; most Hispanics immigrate here to receive a better job and way of living, and because of this America needs better workplace enforcement; and you recognize that 40% of immigrants came here legally but have outstayed their Visas.
You have some good ideas but you could improve your implementation of these ideas. Taking what I have read from your press release and other media sources, I think that you don’t have a problem with immigrants as long as they come here legally. Here are four points where you could improve your stance on immigration:
Border Enforcement
If the application process for obtaining a Visa to the United States were more efficient it would create a greater incentive for immigrants to actually complete the process. As a natural cause and effect, an increase in the number of immigrants applying for Visas would create a decrease in the number of immigrants attempting to cross the U.S. border illegally. A decrease in the number of Hispanics attempting to illegally immigrate to the U.S. would mean easier border enforcement. This means our country (taxpayers) would pay less to maintain, staff, and regulate the border, freeing up some of the money allocated to immigration in our nation’s budget.
American Jobs at Risk
American jobs are not at risk because the Hispanic consumer market in the U.S. is larger than thirteen countries. For every one job that a Hispanic immigrant earns, three more are created.
Workplace Enforcement
Workplace Enforcement is another area that is impacted by Visa applications. If the application were more expansive in category and more efficient in time to process, a significant amount of workers would apply. This would allow law enforcement to spend more time focusing on domestic crime, and less time trying to hunt down undocumented workers. Having documented immigrants in a working environment would also provide an increase in tax revenue because business owners would be forced to place them on the payroll and not pay them “under the table.” These immigrants would be covered under minimum wage and they would have greater protections under our constitution. The more secure a community feels, the more likely they are to abide the law.
Visa Status
In your press release you recognize that 40% of immigrants come here legally and simply outstay their Visa. Many politicians and citizens believe that we should simply deport these immigrants. A better practice would be to discover which immigrants are still within their Visa and encourage the ones that aren’t to renew their Visa. Self-deportation is a process that is proven to fail and our country focuses too heavily on negative consequences. A more preferable plan would be to look at how encouraging immigrants to renew their Visas could create a greater benefit than deporting them. One, it could create a system of role models that would encourage other immigrants to enter our country legally. Two, encouraging immigrants to renew their Visas would allow the Department of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to play a more supportive role, and not a combative one. Supportive roles help with establishing rapport, which is needed if immigrants are to trust that ICE has their best interests in mind. This would allow for ICE to operate more smoothly and efficiently.
I hope that you take these recommendations into consideration as they could greatly improve your ability to work across the aisle and pass legislation that appeases everyone. Best of luck during the Holidays and in 2014.
Sincerely,
Brendon Richey
