Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, issued the following statement on the Senate’s new proposal for comprehensive immigration reform:

“I applaud my Senate colleagues for their historic efforts and first steps toward serious immigration reform.  Immigration reform is one of the most pressing and complex issues now facing the Congress.  Whether we get immigration right, and whether we get it done soon, will determine in major ways what type of society, economy, and future we will have.  Will we allow honest, hardworking people a genuine opportunity to become documented and integrated into our communities?  Will we allow families – including binational LGBT families – to be reunited and remain together lawfully?  Will we attract and keep talented engineers, academics, professionals, and workers of all varieties, whose contributions and labor our economy badly needs?  Will we allow young people who have grown up in the United States, but who lack citizenship, to take part in the American dream through the Dream Act?

“The Senate proposal includes many critical reforms, including the Dream Act and my own proposal to help elderly immigrants move more quickly through the citizenship process, but we should go further.  For one, the bill excludes LGBT families within its family reunification provision, ignoring the plight of some 40,000 binational gay and lesbian couples and their kids.  This must be changed.  And, its proposed pathway to citizenship is too long and arduous.  We can and must do better.

“However, this proposal is a good first step and now launches a vital debate on immigration reform and all of its particulars.  I look forward to continued improvements we can make in the coming process to create a robust and comprehensive bill.”

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