The Heritage Foundation's Dr. James Carafano, vice president of the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, released the following statement Thursday regarding the policy implications of the "Immigration Opportunity and Security Act:"

 

“Compromise is not about getting everything exactly wrong. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the misnamed ‘Immigration Opportunity and Security Act’ does. Amnesties are bad immigration policy –they undermine the rule of law and create a magnet for further illegal migration.

 

“This legislation would likely result in a greater amnesty than the 1986 amnesty, which created a massive stimulus for further illegal border crossing and unlawful presence. This act offers toothless border security and internal enforcement promises, and fails to address key public safety issues, like sanctuary cities. What weak promises are made offer little hope for improvement, however, as we all know both parties have shown no hesitance in breaking promises of future enforcement time and time again.

 

“It is far past time to put teeth into existing enforcement measures, secure our southern border, end chain migration and diversity visa programs, and take a meaningful step to restoring Americans’ faith in the rule of law.”