Hatch Outlines Key Principles for Successful Immigration Reform in Call with New Utah Coalition
“No one should expect a simple solution to such a complex set of problems, but I believe that our goal should be serious, effective legislation that can be broadly supported not only by Congress but also by the American people.”
SALT LAKE CITY—Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the senior member and former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, outlined key principles for successful immigration reform on a conference call organized by the New American Economy (NAE) Utah Coalition.
Hatch focused his remarks on three key issues: enforcement, improving the high-skilled worker visa program, and the need for an effective guest worker program.
On enforcement:
In this or any other area, the best legislation in the world is of little value unless it is properly implemented and seriously enforced.
We must once and for all secure the border and ensure that those who enter our country do so legally.
We can make great strides in this area by using cutting-edge technology and biometrics to track those who enter and exit our country—curtailing visa overstays and illegal entries.
On the high-skilled worker visa program:
As some of you know, I am the author of the I-Squared Act, which takes a coherent and constructive approach to high-skilled immigration by addressing the immediate need to provide American employers with greater access to high-skilled workers while also addressing the long-term need to invest in America’s STEM education.
High-skilled workers are essential to boost productivity and grow our economy, and in today’s global and technology-driven economy, business will go wherever human capital can be found.
Failure to reform our high-skilled immigration system is forcing American companies to outsource their innovation centers to countries like Canada or India.
On the need for a guest worker program:
We need an easy-to-use guest worker program that will incentivize employers to follow the law by hiring legal workers, while also providing workers the flexibility and mobility to allow them to do their jobs more efficiently.
That said, we must ensure that employers, big and small, are full participants in an employments verification program so that only those here legally are able to work.
Senator Hatch’s full remarks are below:
It’s great to be with you this afternoon to launch the New American Economy Coalition here in Utah.
Thank you to the impressive group of community and business leaders and your dedicated efforts to update and streamline our immigration system.
We all know over the past several years there have been serious disagreements about both principles and policy and how best to achieve real and meaningful immigration reform.
I’m optimistic that the New American Economy Coalition will bridge this divide in helping address the concerns and priorities of conservatives as well as liberals, the business sector as well as the law enforcement community.
No one should expect a simple solution to such a complex set of problems, but I believe that our goal should be serious, effective legislation that can be broadly supported not only by Congress but also by the American people.
Let me mention a few areas to which I will be paying particular attention throughout this discussion.
The first is enforcement.
In this or any other area, the best legislation in the world is of little value unless it is properly implemented and seriously enforced.
We must once and for all secure the border and ensure that those who enter our country do so legally.
We can make great strides in this area by using cutting-edge technology and biometrics to track those who enter and exit our country—curtailing visa overstays and illegal entries.
We have experience to draw from here—negative experience I have to admit—but experience all the same. We ignore that experience at our own peril.
The second area is improving the process for allowing high-skilled individuals to enter the United States and work in important technology and other fields.
As some of you know, I am the author of the I-Squared Act, which takes a coherent and constructive approach to high-skilled immigration by addressing the immediate need to provide American employers with greater access to high-skilled workers while also addressing the long-term need to invest in America’s STEM education.
High-skilled workers are essential to boost productivity and grow our economy, and in today’s global and technology-driven economy, business will go wherever human capital can be found.
Failure to reform our high-skilled immigration system is forcing American companies to outsource their innovation centers to countries like Canada or India.
The third area involves workers in the agriculture and construction sectors of our economy.
We need an easy-to-use guest worker program that will incentivize employers to follow the law by hiring legal workers, while also providing workers the flexibility and mobility to allow them to do their jobs more efficiently.
That said, we must ensure that employers, big and small, are full participants in an employments verification program so that only those here legally are able to work.
Let me stop here.
These are important issues, and I commend your willingness to come together by launching the New American Economy Coalition in our state.
I look forward to working with you in updating and reforming our country’s immigration system.
Media Advisory: Hatch to Outline Immigration Priorities in Call with New Utah Coalition
Salt Lake City—Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the senior member and former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee will join a call today on immigration reform organized by the New American Economy (NAE) Utah Coalition today at 12 PM MST.
As the Senior member of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Hatch will work closely with the Trump administration next year to reform the immigration system, focusing on securing the border, improving the high-skilled visa program, and establishing a strong guest-worker program.
Press Conference Call:
Participant Number (media line): 888-632-3381.
Conference ID: UTAH
From the New American Economy’s media advisory:
Today, a coalition of conservative, business, and community leaders from across Utah will launch a new group that will advocate for immigration reform, an initiative of the New American Economy (NAE). The effort is one of a dozen statewide coalitions calling for a responsible solution to the country’s broken immigration system that secures the border, grows the economy, and recognizes that America cannot and should not engage in mass deportations of millions of productive members of society.
Leaders in the Utah coalition include:
WHAT: NAE Utah Coalition Kickoff Press Call
WHEN: Today – Monday, November 21, 2016 at 12pm MT
WHERE: Press Conference Call – Participant Number (media line): 888-632-3381. Conference ID: UTAH
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