NDN Statement on House Border Caucus Letter to White House

Today NDN and the New Policy Institute released the following statement on a letter from the Congressional Border Caucus to President Obama:

NDN/NPI’s “21st Century Border Initiative” applauds the new letter from the House Border Caucus Chairmen Reps. Grijalva and Vela letter to the President. It outlines three critical priorities for the US-Mexico border region: more customs agents to increase legal trade and tourism while aiding in critical enforcement needs; more investment in border infrastructure to modernize our aging port system in particular; and better Federal management of the complex economic and security opportunities and challenges of the region.

This smart, modern approach to improving the border will bring more jobs to the US; increase legal flows of goods and people with Mexico, our third largest trading partner; make the implementation of immigration reform easier; and improve the security along the 2,000 mile long border itself.

The recommendations from the House Border Caucus build on the progress made in the border region in recent years. Crime is down along the US side of the border, net migration of undocumented immigrants has dropped to zero, and trade and tourism with Mexico has increased, dramatically. While there are very real challenges in the US-Mexico border region today, things are improving, and with this smart plan even further progress can be made in the years ahead." 

UPDATE: Simon has written up his thoughts on where we are in the current immigration debate in this toughtful Huffington Post essay: The Immigration System Is Better, the Border Is Safer, But More to Do.

Kristian offered his take in his own Huffington Post essay: The Reality of Our Safer Border Makes Immigration Reform Possible.