Texas Republican Lobbyist Report on Texas Immigration Reform: The Texas Tribune Interview with Brad Bailey
The following is a digest of an interview with Brad Bailey originally published at the Texas Tribune. This digest is being posted as a public service for Texas Republicans, conservative politicians and activists, and other interested parties.
Read the original interview here.
Regarding the immigration debate in Texas, the “Texas Immigration Solution” provides a popular and fairly moderate alternative to more well known or drastic solutions. The Texas Immigration Solution is conservative but does not advocate for deportation like the National Republican party does. This nonprofit organization is based in Houston, calls for a safer border, and has been adopted by the Republican Party of Texas.
In this interview with Brad Bailey, CEO and founder of the Texas Immigration Solution, possible solutions are discussed and an outline of the organization’s goals and agenda are detailed. This organization takes a firm but progressive stance on immigration.
“Our plan is not just legal status for the individual but legal status for the family. We don’t believe in breaking up families, but we’ve got to find a way to make that work. We need to make sure that people pass background checks and are good stewards of our country and figure out ways to make it work.”
According to Texas Tribune, under the Obama administration more illegal residents have been deported in the past three years than in eight years under former President Bush. There are currently more border patrol officers than ever, yet the border is more dangerous than it’s ever been. Something has got to give in order to keep our borders and state safe and orderly. The TIS promotes an ID card to enter the guest worker program, providing an ordered system that allows for work in the state by illegals.
The group also believes there are better methods of solving immigration issues than “The DREAM Act”, and works around this solution by providing alternatives they consider to be more effective. Their main criticism with the DREAM act is that it doesn’t poll well and citizens don’t appear to feel very satisfied with it as a solution. The group pushes for legalization in the workforce, but at the same time advocates for these families and children. They believe that not just anyone should gain legal status, but that it should be allowed for a necessary, and currently illegal, workforce and their loved ones.