Immigration Reform, A Reality in 2013 or it’s still a Dream?

By Margarita Hernandez

Houston: Last week, the Former President of the United States, George W. Bush during a Ceremony of Naturalization declared that “…the system is broken…” and urged the House to reach a “positive resolution”. Same day, President Obama released a report highlighting the economic benefits from passing reforms. The report said that the economy would grow up by 3.3 percent by 2023 and reduce the deficit by almost $850 billion over 20 years (Washington, Reuters).

After Bush’s remarks during the Citizenship Ceremony, the George W. Bush Presidential Center hosted a conference called “What Immigrants Contribute: A Special Event on Immigration, Texas and Economic Growth”. The Conference was purposely set up in three panels: 1) The Texas Advantage: How Immigrants Drive the Growth of Texas Economy; 2)Why Naturalization Matters to Economy and 3) How Immigrants Serve America. It was a very intensive conference where panelists deeply discussed how much immigrants are contributing, especially Javier Palomarez, President and CEO of the US. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, who shared the name of entrepreneurs, jobs created and revenues obtained by those companies.

Same day, the Republicans of the House met for a closed-door meeting. What a Day! The message was deliberated. “We need the Reform, and we need it now. Members of the House need to listen. If the House does not act now, it is going to be reflected in future elections and Republicans are aware to this.

These “illegal immigrants” – or whatever the opposite groups want to call them- are already contributing to the economy of this Country. Legalizing these immigrants will formalize their status and they will continue their contribution to this great Country. The border will be secured and it is in most of the areas. This is a bogus response from some Republicans to push the Immigration Reform to the President Obama, and this is not a good idea either.

Let me close my article sharing what our Independence Declaration establishes: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

I think that legal and illegal Immigrants are all equal and have an unalienable right to pursue happiness in this Country.

If you have any questions, please contact Margarita E. Hernández at 832-464-4852, in Twitter @Margaritavisas or in Facebook at www.facebook.com/AbogadaMargaritaHernandez