Immigration Reform 2012: Republican Proposal Lacks Path to Citizenship

According to a column by Raul Reyes, attorney in New York and a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors, the Republican proposal for immigration reform lacks a path to citizenship that is offered in Dream Act.

"Unfortunately, on immigration, Republicans still don't get it," Reyes wrote. "Sen. Kyl suggested at his press conference that if undocumented youth want citizenship, they should marry a citizen. He overlooks the fact that under current law, an undocumented immigrant who marries a citizen often has to return home to apply for an adjustment in their status, and illegal entrants are banned from re-entering the USA for 10 years. So Kyl's advice is as unhelpful as it is impractical."

Before the election, the president said his biggest failure was not getting immigration reform in his first term.

In June, President Barack Obama announced that his administration will stop deporting undocumented immigrant youths who grew up in the United States and who meet certain requirements.

The president said he plans to make this a top priority in his final term as president.

"I think it should include a continuation of the strong border security measures that we've taken because we have to secure our borders," Obama said. I think it should contain serious penalties for companies that are purposely hiring undocumented workers and taking advantage of them. And I do think that there should be a pathway for legal status for those who are living in this country, are not engaged in criminal activity, are here simply to work. It's important for them to pay back-taxes. It's important for them to learn English. It's important for them to potentially pay a fine. But to give them the avenue whereby they can resolve their legal status here in this country I think is very important."

House Speaker John Boehner said the country's immigration system was broken and said Obama had to take the lead. The president noted that comprehensive immigration reform has "historically been a partisan issue."

"We've had President Bush and John McCain and others who have supported comprehensive immigration reform in the past," Obama said. "So we need to seize the moment. And my expectation is, is that we get a bill introduced and we begin the process in Congress very soon after my inauguration. And in fact, some conversations I think are already beginning to take place among senators and congressmen and my staff about what would this look like."