Guest Column

By Darren Meritz

El Paso times

June 26, 2005

            As a prelude to expected congressional debate this summer on immigration reform, Sen. John Cornyn on Saturday described his plan to create a temporary guest-worker program and bolster resources along U.S. international borders.

            In El Paso, at the first Binational Migration Conference of church leaders, Mexican and U.S. Catholic bishops heard details of immigration reform legislation that Cornyn and Sen. Jon Kyl, Rariz., plan to introduce in early July.

            “We must find a way to protect our border security and uphold the rule of law, while at the same time bring immigrants who are truly here to work and provide for their families out of the shaows and into the law,” the Texas Republican said.

            “We know this is an issue that cannot wait any longer,” he said.

            Hard-working immigrants need a legal avenue for employment – a temporary guest-worker program, he said.

            Though an amnesty program for undocumented immigrants could send the message that breaking the law can lead to legal residency, a guest-worker program would instead allow immigrant workers a legal avenue for temporary employment in the United States, Cornyn said.

            Though a temporary guest-worker program would require immigrants to return to their home countries after working in the United States for a couple of years, a worker visa program could provide immigrants with permanent residency, said Quisa Davis, executive director of the Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services.

            Immigration reform should include a program for a low-skilled labor visa, which would be similar to visas available to professionals and high-skilled workers, Davis said.

            “Anyone who comes here and works here should have the option of staying here and working if they so choose,” Davis said.

            Cornyn’s proposal would authorize 1,000 new Border Pytrol agents and 1,000 new immigration inspectors for U.S. ports of entry during the next five years.

            The legislation would also authorize at least $1 billion each year from 2006 to 2010 for facilities, as well as for technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles, camera poles and sensors used to control U.S. borders.

            The 3-day Binantional Migration Conference, the first of its kind in El Paso, ended Saturday with a closing liturgy at St. Patrick Cathedral that celebrated immigration heritage.

            The conference, organized by the United States conference of Catholic Bishops and the Mexican Episcopal Conference, brought religious and immigration leaders together to discuss the direction the Catholic Church plans to take

Contact El Paso Times reporter Darren Meritz atdmeritz@3lpasotimes.com

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