immigration

Legal immigration is an essential part of our nation's heritage and will continue to be an important part of our future. However, illegal immigration poses a serious problem for our state and nation. There must be consequences for those who break the law by illegally crossing the border or overstaying their visas.

At the same time, a discussion on our immigration system is long overdue. Ultimately, I believe any conversation on immigration reform should include measures to strengthen border security and enforce our current immigration laws. In addition, we should address how to handle the millions of illegal immigrants currently in the United States without granting amnesty or jeopardizing our economy. We must limit chain migration and develop a better, merit-based system that prioritizes granting visas to individuals who have skills that our country needs. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass commonsense, bipartisan immigration reform that secures our borders and helps grow our economy.

Additionally, I strongly support the H-2B Visa program as an essential tool to support the demands of South Dakota’s economy. We do not have enough workers in our state to fill seasonal positions for many South Dakota industries, including the construction and tourism industries.