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The immigration debate is as soon as once again dominating the news as members of Congress concentrate on the extended-neglected issue of fixing our country's failed immigration laws.<br><br>American lawmakers are now at a critical point. Enforcement-only legislation won't function and hasn't worked. Previous efforts to resolve this issue by focusing exclusively on border security have failed miserably.<br><br>In reality, during the past decade, the U.S. tripled the number of agents on the border, quintupled the price range, toughened our enforcement techniques and heavily fortified urban entry points.<br><br>However for the duration of the same time period, America saw record levels of illegal immigration, porous borders, a cottage market developed for smugglers and document forgers and tragic deaths in our deserts.<br><br>We have to discover from our errors, not repeat them. What we require is comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform that offers smartly with the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living and working in the U.S.<br><br>Most are relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful residents or workers holding jobs that Americans do not want. Folks already here who are not a threat to our security, but who perform difficult, pay taxes and are understanding English, must be allowed to earn permanent residence.<br><br>The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act, introduced by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and others, includes the needed elements of reform and offers the basis for fixing our method. It combines toughness with fairness, making a new temporary visa plan [http://www.oconnorscatholicsupply.com/deacon-items-deacon-cross-and-accesories-c-2_253_255.html deacon cross] that offers a legal flow of workers.<br><br>This "break-the-mold" worker program would considerably diminish illegal immigration by making a legal avenue for people to enter the U.S., something that barely exists right now. Current immigration laws provide just five,000 annual permanent visas and 66,000 temporary visas for crucial lesser-skilled workers, in no way meeting the annual demand for 500,000 such workers.<br><br>In addition, minimizing the decade-lengthy backlog in loved ones-based immigration would reunite families quicker and make it unlikely that folks would cross the border illegally [http://www.oconnorscatholicsupply.com/seasonal-advent-c-3_14.html advent candles] in order to be with their loved ones.<br><br>Congress and the administration need to act wisely as they weigh their options. We've had enough "fast fixes" that have created an currently unworkable [http://www.oconnorscatholicsupply.com/bishops-items-pectoral-cross-c-2_89_570.html pectoral cross] method worse. We cannot manage our borders - or enhance our national security - till we enact comprehensive immigration reform.<br><br>Deborah Notkin is president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. - NU