From Many, OneOur country's ethnic diversity within a shared national culture is unique in all the world. We benefit from our
differences, but we must also strengthen the ties that bind us to one
another. Foremost among those is the flag. Its deliberate desecration is not
"free speech" but an assault against both our proud history and our greatest
hopes. We therefore support a constitutional amendment that will restore to the
people, through their elected representatives, their right to safeguard Old
Glory.
Another sign of our unity is the role of
English as our common language. It has enabled people from every corner of the
world to come together to build this nation. For newcomers, it has always been
the fastest route to the mainstream of American life. English empowers. That
is why fluency in English must be the goal of bilingual education programs. We
support the recognition of English as the nation's common language. At the same
time, mastery of other languages is important for America's competitiveness in
the world market. We advocate foreign language training in our schools and the
fostering of respect for other languages and cultures throughout our
society.
We have reaped enormous human capital in
the genius and talent and industry of those who have escaped nations captive to
totalitarianism. Our country still attracts the best and brightest to invent
here, create wealth here, improve the quality of life here. As a nation of
immigrants, we welcome all new Americans who have entered lawfully and are
prepared to follow our laws and provide for themselves and their families. In
their search for a better life, they strengthen our economy, enrich our culture,
and defend the nation in war and in peace. To ensure fairness for those wishing
to reside in this country, and to meet the manpower needs of our expanding
economy, a total overhaul of the immigration system is sorely needed.
The administration's lax enforcement of
our borders has led to tragic exploitation of smuggled immigrants, and untold
suffering, at the hands of law-breakers. We call for harsh penalties against
smugglers and those who provide fake documents. We oppose the creation of any
national ID card.
Because free trade is the most powerful
force for the kind of development that creates a middle class and offers
opportunity at home, the long-term solution for illegal immigration is economic
growth in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. In the short run,
however, decisive action is needed. We therefore endorse the recommendations of
the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform:
-
Restore credibility to enforcement by
devoting more resources both to border control and to internal operations.
-
Reorganize family unification preferences
to give priority to spouses and children, rather than extended family members.
-
Emphasize needed skills in determining
eligibility for admission.
-
Overhaul the failed Labor Certification
Program to end the huge delays in matching qualified workers with urgent work.
-
Reform the Immigration and Naturalization
Service by splitting its functions into two agencies, one focusing on
enforcement and one exclusively devoted to service.
The education reforms we propose elsewhere
in this platform will, over time, greatly increase the number of highly
qualified workers in all sectors of the American economy. To meet immediate
needs, however, we support increasing the number of H-1B visas to ensure
high-tech workers in specialized positions, provided such workers do not pose a
national security risk; and we will expand the H-2A program for the temporary
agricultural workers so important to the nation's farms.
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