21 MAY 07 / "Pass the Immigration Bill"

Congress should pass the immigration bill about to go the Senate floor. As with any compromise measure, there are aspects that both sides don't like. However, the bottom line is immigrants are making vital contributions to the country and they should be recognized for doing so.

Many of my fellow conservatives believe that the bill amounts to amnesty. For them, any bill that doesn't deport the 12 million illegal immigrants is amnesty. As a conservative, I believe we need to stay true to the principles that made this country great. And immigration is one of those principles.

The issue divides the Republican Party almost equally, but too often the facts are rarely mentioned in the debate. Many conservatives wrongly believe that the costs associated with increased immigration far outweigh the benefits, but the opposite is true. Immigrants enrich our economy and society.

Republicans in Congress know the facts, but too many are conveniently choosing to ignore them. They know, for example, what would happen if we deported millions of workers in an economy with a 4.4 percent unemployment rate, but they don't want to vote in favor of the bill because they can't summon the political courage to buck the Republican base, which is misinformed on this issue.

Assimilation is the critical component. Immigrants should not be coddled by multicultural dictates of government programs and regulations that make it unnecessary for them to fully integrate into American society. It is an inability to assimilate immigrants -- not immigration itself -- that threatens our national identity and future.

Because language is the key that unlocks the future, American children should be taught in English. And English should be the official language of the United States.

Even with the immigrants currently here, there is still a looming labor shortage in the country that could become highly inflationary. Republicans in Congress need to do what's right -- get behind the president and get behind this bill.