Western Citizen

A year of wrangling on how to reform the immigration system concludes with a pointed report and a live chat to discuss the findings.

The University of Denver Strategic Issues Program released its year-long report, Architecture for Immigration Reform [PDF], with 25 specific remedies to reform the broken and unwieldy federal immigration system.

The Environment of Immigration
Recommendation 1: Perspective on Immigration

A Foundation for Policy
Recommendation 2: Purpose of Immigration Policy
Recommendation 3: Immigration Priorities
Recommendation 4: Immigration Goals
Recommendation 5: Federal, State and Local Legislation
Recommendation 6: Shared Implementation Responsibility

Immigration System Reform
Recommendation 7: Characteristics of Immigration Reform
Recommendation 8: Simplified Visa Categories
Recommendation 9: Immigration Management Commission
Recommendation 10: Employment Visa Process
Recommendation 11: Per-country Diversity Limits
Recommendation 12: Per-country Diversity Lottery

National Security
Recommendation 13: Border Security
Recommendation 14: Role of Employers
Recommendation 15: E-Verify Program
Recommendation 16: Employment Identification Card

Social Vitality
Recommendation 17: English Language
Recommendation 18: Illegal Immigrants: Policy Timing
Recommendation 19: Illegal Immigrants: Policy Outline
Recommendation 20: Illegal Immigrants: Public Services

Economic Advantage
Recommendation 21: Number of Employment-based Visas
Recommendation 22: Convertible Visa for Skilled Workers
Recommendation 23: Temporary Visas

Family Unification
Recommendation 24: Family-based Immigration
Recommendation 25: Limitation on Eligible Family Members

Over the past year, the University of Denver Strategic Issues Program brought together a nonpartisan panel of business, civic and academic leaders to study the issue in depth and develop recommendations. Panel members received some 30 presentations from individuals in academia, government, business, labor, law enforcement, education, health care and other fields.

…

As you read this report, you will find that in spite of the many dimensions of the issue and the disparate perspectives brought to the table by the panel members, a thoughtful, fact-based approach did indeed bring consensus.

We hope that the work of the panel and the ideas presented in this report will stimulate similarly civil, thoughtful, fact-based debate among the public at large and its representatives in government, such that this broader conversation might lead to a consensus for action.

Join the live chat on the immigration report Thursday, Dec. 10 at 12 p.m. MST.

Categories: Colorado, Culture, Economy, Idaho, Issues, Montana, New Mexico, Politics, Rocky Mountain West, States, Utah, Wyoming | Tags: Immigration