By Dr. Michael M. Crow, John W. Graham | AZ Mirror
Arizona has become one of the fastest growing states in the country and is one of only four states that shares a border with Mexico. Given its new economic muscle and its geographical location, Arizona is in a perfect position to understand the balance between border security and the mutual economic benefits of immigration.
Arizona’s congressional delegation represents families, business owners, workers and students, many of whom have been personally impacted by federal immigration policy. The pain that results from inadequate federal immigration policy is shared. For individuals and their families, the impact is harsh. But business owners also feel the pinch of policy that impacts pathways to citizenship for Dreamers, essential workers, farmworkers and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, or immigrants who have been given temporary status because of armed conflicts or natural disasters.
While the media may focus on legislative jockeying or the stories of impassioned advocates, we should not lose sight of the opportunity we now have to address much needed federal immigration policy.
The recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework proves that, when Democrats and Republicans sit together and work out their differences, agreement is possible. So, let’s begin here: The majority of members in Congress support the principle of a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.
As the president of Arizona State University and the chairman of the board of trustees of the ASU Foundation, we see firsthand the incredible contributions that Dreamers and undocumented students are making. We strongly support a new proposed regulation from the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen the legal underpinnings of the DACA program in the face of legal challenges.
