President Trump’s proposals for increased funding for immigration enforcement are the latest in a long line of policies that have only looked at enforcing our broken immigration policies. The funding of President Trump’s executive orders will have long-term effects upon our economy and long-term consequences for immigrants and communities dependent on immigrants all without addressing the real problem — our broken immigration system. Approving funding for President Trump’s executive orders should not be a Congressional priority.

Congress should instead pass the BRIDGE Act (H.R. 496/S.128). This bill will help children that were brought to the United States as children, and gives them a three-year deferment of deportation, and continued work authorization. This legislation will allow for the over 500,000 undocumented youth to continue to live and work in the United States and continue to contribute to our economy. The BRIDGE Act (H.R. 496/ S.128) can be an important first step for Congress to work together toward compassionate bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform.

It is for this reason that Rep. Steve Stivers along with Senator Sherrod Brown and Senator Rob Portman should co-sponsor the BRIDGE Act (H.R. 496/S.128).

Mathew Hursey

Wilmington