Mark Gordon on Immigration

Illegal immigration is our nation's greatest threat

Enforce the law; deport the criminals; secure the borders

Wyoming has experienced a shortage of labor, but that is no excuse to allow illegal immigrants to overload our schools and healthcare systems. Moreover, people who are here illegally are here at risk of exploitation too. It is lose-lose for everyone except those who set out to break the law.

Undercutting wages and taxing our domestic services costs taxpayers twice while allowing the unscrupulous few to compete unfairly against those who try to do it right. That is un-American and wrong.

Let's stop talking about securing the borders and get it done with technology, boots on the ground, streamlined coordination between local and federal law enforcement, and better security deployed at the first point of contact. We need to emphasize security on all our borders, our southern and northern borders as well as our coasts and skies.

Reform temporary work visas so they work for businesses

We need an adequate, efficient, and secure temporary worker system for people like sheep herders and shearers, students, and hospitality workers wanting to work or study here legally. These programs need visas that are traceable, verifiable, tamperproof, and with biometric safeguards. I will work to reform the H2-A and H2-B visa system so that it works for Wyoming's businesses.

No more empty promises on the immigration issue. Let's get on with securing our country, and let's let business get on with business, but on a fair and equal footing that emphasizes American workers first. It is time we reformed the process, enhanced our national security, and made temporary work visas more secure, efficient, appropriate and suitable for the workforces our great nation needs.