My Immigration Reform Plan

 Right after the 2022 election I contacted each of my congress reps with a bi-partisan idea. 

Rep. Payne - Criminal reform that only punishes the officers who actually are problems and not all officers. 

Senator Booker - He's known in my area for having used charter schools to improve education as the Newark mayor. So, I said to make pre-school part of the public school system like kindergarten in. It helps solve the childcare crisis. To get republican support, including funding for charter schools. 

But my only successful idea was the one I have been the most persistent about. Senator Menendez at the time was the chair of the senate foreign affairs committee. After several calls and emails over time, later including senator Booker in this idea. We have the Border bill up for a vote today. It's mostly either my ideas or modified versions of it. 

My idea was in two parts:

1. Add new border checkpoints where people are entering anyway. Homeland security knows where these places are. Give them more opportunities to claim asylum making it legal. This also means more border agents. 

2. A new temporary visa they can get at the border so they can work anywhere in the country legally and be tracked for their asylum hearing. This relieves pressure for border states.

What is in the border plan?

What's in the bipartisan Senate package to aid Ukraine, secure U.S. border - The Washington Post

1. More border agents (no new entry points)

2. Visas that can be approved at the entry points so they happen quicker. 

3. Quicker asylum hearings and a higher number of visas allowed.

4. A limit to how many can enter a day.

There are other things. But they clearly listened to me. Most people entering want to do it legally and just don't know how. This addresses that while addressing the undocumented, entry number, and criminal concerns.