For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
LOS ANGELES—Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today traveled to San Francisco and Los Angeles where she met with technology and business leaders, as well as community members to discuss the need for commonsense immigration reform, which is critical to our nation’s economic health and prosperity.
“We need a 21st century immigration system – one that helps businesses continue to grow our economy by providing the skilled workers this country needs, and strengthens our economic competitiveness,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Commonsense immigration reform is the single most important thing we can do to sustain the historic progress we’ve achieved to secure our borders and enforce immigration laws.”
During the meeting with technology and business leaders, Secretary Napolitano discussed the need for critical changes to the legal immigration in order to help business grow our economy by providing the skilled workers this country needs.
Secretary Napolitano also highlighted this Administration’s dedication of historic levels of personnel, technology, and resources to the Southwest border, noting that while challenges will always remain, every metric used to measure border security shows significant progress and improved quality of life in border communities. Commonsense immigration reform will build on this historic progress, enhancing border security, facilitating lawful trade and travel, reuniting families and promoting economic growth.
In January, President Obama announced key principles for commonsense immigration reform that would invest in the ports of entry, and help officers and agents focus on public safety threats; make it harder for transnational criminal organizations to operate, while encouraging immigrants to pursue a pathway to earned citizenship; hold employers accountable and strengthen the integrity of the immigration system overall.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.
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