DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano hailed immigration reform legislation on Wednesday as an “important step” in further securing the border and improving economic growth, among other benefits. Full statement below:
“I am pleased by the work of the bi-partisan group of United States Senators to reform and modernize our nation’s immigration laws. The introduction of this legislation is an important step that reflects significant momentum toward building the 21st century immigration system that our nation needs.
Over the past four years, this Administration has dedicated historic levels of personnel, technology, and resources to the Southwest border, and while challenges will always remain, every metric we use to measure border security shows significant progress and improved quality of life at the border. Commonsense immigration reform will build on this historic progress, enhancing border security, facilitating lawful trade and travel, reuniting families and promoting economic growth.
I welcome the Senate’s decision to act now on this issue of critical importance to our national and economic security and look forward to working closely with Congress in the coming weeks to build a firm, fair and effective enforcement system, based on the rule of law.”
