New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Shows Real Leadership on Immigration

America's Voice Blog

Posted 01/04/10 at 05:23pm

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Shows Real Leadership on Immigration

Here's to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for using the occasion of his recent inaugural address to make a definitive pledge of leadership on the pressing issue of federal immigration reform.

Managing to address the issue even within a brief speech, Bloomberg pledged:

With leaders from across the country, we will assemble a bipartisan coalition to support President Obama's call for comprehensive immigration reform that honors our history, upholds our values, and promotes our economy.

Bloomberg has also said:

New York's immigrant communities have driven America's economic engine for generations.

The independent-minded mayor understands that immigration reform will enhance national security and strengthen New York’s economy, and as the leader of the nation’s financial capital (and home to thriving and diverse communities of immigrants), he knows that letting the broken immigration system fester is not an option.

Furthermore, Bloomberg understands that inaction by Congress on this issue only serves to make a bad situation worse for state and local officials throughout the nation. Representatives in Washington would be wise to listen up to those on the frontlines, who have to deal with the effects of a broken system day in and out. Most of all, they should listen to voters who are sick of cynical politics as usual.

America's Voice Executive Director Frank Sharry applauded Bloomberg's speech, saying:

Immigration reform would remove these immigrants from the economic margins of society and make them legal members of the mainstream economy. Additionally, an improved immigration system would also act as a disincentive for unscrupulous employers to hire illegal workers over legal workers for jobs with lower wages and unfair working conditions. It would improve labor standards and earnings for all employees – immigrants and U.S.-born alike. It would also allow state and federal authorities to better track who is entering and leaving the country and ensure that immigrant workers and the companies that employ them are paying their full and fair share of taxes.

Unless Congress steps up and acts now, the problem of illegal immigration will only get worse – for anxious American workers, frustrated taxpayers, fair-minded employers, frustrated local communities and hard-working immigrant families.

If you haven't already, join the effort to support real, comprehensive immigration reform this year.