Comprehensive Immigration Reform

September 29, 2011 by Left in Alabama

Alabama leaders are obsessed with enacting and enforcing the most mean-spirited immigration law in the nation.  If they are so concerned about undocumented immigration, why aren't they pressing for comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, which would have tremendous economic benefits for the US (and Alabama)?  Benefits like:

• $1.5 trillion added to America’s cumulative gross domestic product
• $4.5 billion to $5.4 billion of additional net tax revenue accruing to the federal government over three years
• 309,000 jobs that would have been gained if comprehensive immigration reform had gone into effect in mid-2009.

Why are our Alabama "leaders" wasting their time and our money trying to do the federal government's job (it's in the Constitution) instead of demanding action from our Senators and members of Congress on comprehensive immigration reform?  In fact, Senator Jeff Sessions (R, AL) is one of the staunchest opponents of immigration reform -- and that stance boosted his popularity with Alabamians back in 2007.

Do we value mean over effective?  I'm genuinely trying to understand why we pursue immigration policies that don't seem to make any sense.