By Congressman Joe Crowley

This week, the House of Representatives is expected to take up the so-called Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act. It rivals a bill I have sponsored, entitled the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act.

Immigrants in the U.S. work, pay taxes, serve our military and contribute in a resoundingly positive way. Unfortunately, our burdensome immigration system has let down immigrants, and the “reform” that Republican leadership wants lets down us all.

Republican leadership is suggesting a bill that calls for some troubling, far-reaching language that criminalizes immigrants who are not criminals. More troubling, however, is what the bill does not do.

It does nothing for the 11 million people who are currently here and undocumented. And in doing nothing for them, it does little for our communities, our businesses and our security.

No New Yorker needs a lecture on the importance of security. There is a miniscule but critical population that comes here to do us harm. They must be stopped — whether it is through strengthening our border security or through providing a means for bringing honourable immigrants out of the shadows so terrorists are easier to discern.

However, it is important that we are fighting for policies that actually make us safer, instead of fighting for rhetoric.

Moreover, the immigration debate cannot stop at security. Immigration is also about bringing families together, and supplying a pathway to citizenship for those who come here and contribute.

It is foolish to pretend that we have somehow solved our immigration or security concerns by making it harder for people to come or stay here. That is not immigration reform.

That is simply increasing the incentive for immigrants to immigrate, live and work in the shadows. This is a loss for immigrants, their families, society, and national security.

Real immigration reform is not finding the most simplistic response and labelling it a solution. Real reform has to be a sincere effort to address the undocumented immigrants in this country and those who depend on them.

As such, I support legislation that calls not only for improved border security and enforcement, but also a pathway to citizenship for those who are here, undocumented, and trying to do right. The bill I support reduces immigration backlogs and helps family reunification.

The bill I support recognizes that comprehensive immigration reform — as opposed to strictly discussing enforcement — is the only way to protect both the security and the ideals of the U.S.

There have always been those who look to solve our immigration “problem” through the simplest methods possible. Not so long ago, our country was littered with signs claiming “No Irish Need Apply.”

This simplistic, anti-immigrant sentiment was not helpful to America. It did not make us safer, it did not end immigration, and it in no way made our country better.

Transferring this message from a window sign to an anti-immigration bill and labelling it “reform” is no more helpful today. Irish America needs to be in favour of real immigration reform and not anti-immigration rhetoric.

(Congressman Crowley, Democrat of New York, represents the state’s seventh district, which includes parts of Queens and the Bronx.)