Martin Heinrich: “fixing our broken immigration system is an urgent priority. As the son of an immigrant myself, I understand how…”

“fixing our broken immigration system is an urgent priority. As the son of an immigrant myself, I understand how important this is for families across the country and in my home State of New Mexico. I know how hard immigrants work in this country, how much they believe in America, and how much they are willing to give back to this Nation. New Mexico's remarkable spirit is rooted in our diversity, our history, and our culture, which has always been enriched by our immigrant communities and family members. At the same time, the laws that govern our country's immigration system are antiquated and ineffective. I am encouraged that we are finally making progress toward a solution and finding some common ground on this critical issue. We need a solution that includes a visa system that meets the needs of our economy, a tough but fair path to earned citizenship for the estimated 11 million people in our country who are undocumented and a plan that ensures the security of our borders. Our broken immigration system does not match the realities of our Nation's economy. The H-2A program makes it difficult for farmers to hire the workers they need. The H-1B program sends some of our most talented students back to their countries of origin, where they find themselves competing against American jobs rather than helping to create American jobs. The labor pool, comprised of millions of undocumented workers, allows for worker exploitation and low wages.…”