U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) today joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers who have introduced a resolution seeking to bridge the political divide between parties on the issue of immigration by outlining some of the key principles that should guide immigration reform.

 

Luetkemeyer and 21 of his colleagues have introduced H. Res. 1026 the Bipartisan Reform of Immigration through Defining Good Enforcement (BRIDGE) Resolution which reaffirms that the continued peace, prosperity, liberty, and national security of the United States depend upon effective immigration enforcement policies which welcome lawful immigrants and prevent individuals from entering or remaining in the U.S. illegally.

 

Specifically, the resolution states that Congress should:

“Our government has a duty and responsibility to enforce our existing immigration laws by ensuring that illegal behavior is punished, not rewarded,” Luetkemeyer said. “We are a nation of immigrants but we also are a nation of laws and immigration reform must start with both an acknowledgement of the historical and contemporary importance of immigration to our nation and a renewed commitment to the rule of law.”