After the Senate passed an immigration bill that modeled parts of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act in June, a national conversation has intensified over the fate of more than 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States.
As the focus turns to the House of Representatives, members from both sides of the aisle have begun to stake out the talking points of where the DREAM Act needs to be changed.
A point of contention for Republicans regards whether the undocumented parents of U.S. citizens should be granted amnesty.
Although the disagreements between Republicans and Democrats on the issue of immigration may be great, a bipartisan version of the DREAM Act should be passed as soon as possible.
The benefits of granting amnesty to undocumented immigrants in the U.S. would be immense.
It should go without saying that it would be a logistical and financial nightmare to deport approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Instead of deporting the immigrants, the U.S. would save millions of dollars by allowing them to stay.
Another benefit of passing legislation similar to the DREAM Act is that it would help alleviate burdens placed on immigrants.
Without access to social programs, undocumented immigrants are inevitably stuck as a lower class that is unable to rise above the poverty line.
Helping many undocumented immigrants would also benefit those who want to serve their country and are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice by enrolling in the military.
From a financial standpoint, the argument that undocumented immigrants are a burden to society is ridiculous.
If undocumented workers get paid legally, federal and state taxes can still be taken out of their paycheck if they use a valid social security number.
As it stands, the GOP is quickly losing ground on the issue of immigration reform.
The Hispanic community proved in the last election that its large demographic is a force to be reckoned with.
As the GOP licked its wounds and began to reassess and reformulate its game plan for the future, party leaders understood that alienating the Hispanic population would only result in political suicide.
While hard-line Republicans refuse to budge in the House of Representatives and obstruct further progress for immigration reform, some Republicans have begun to warm up to the idea of working with fellow Democrats on the issue.
If Republicans want to move forward as a party and be competitive in the future, it is absolutely crucial that immigration reform becomes a priority for the GOP.
The longer the GOP punts the issue back and forth between the House and Senate, the more it stands to lose a demographic that also shares their vision of the American dream.
Nicolas Rodriguez is a senior political science major and an assistant opinions editor at the Daily 49er.