Washington » Sen. Orrin Hatch and fellow Republican senators criticized Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Friday for her recent remarks that putting undocumented immigrants on a path to citizenship would boost the economy.
Napolitano, in remarks last week to the Center for American Progress, said that a "tough and fair pathway" to legal status for millions of immigrants would bring them out of the "shadows" and allow them to pay taxes as legal Americans do.
"Making sure these people become full taxpayers and pay their fair share will both benefit our economy and make it easier to enforce the laws against unscrupulous or exploitative employers," Napolitano said.
Hatch and 11 fellow Republican senators charge that rewarding undocumented immigrants with legal status would hinder Americans' ability to find jobs.
"With all due respect, legalizing those who have no legal right to be in the United States will not be a 'boon' to American workers," the senators wrote. "Rather, it would only exacerbate the unfair competition American workers currently face as they struggle to find jobs."
The senators asked Napolitano to halt any talk of enacting a "legalization program" that would only hurt U.S. workers and impede law-abiding citizens opportunities during the economic downturn.
Napolitano said in her speech Nov. 13 that a rigid pathway to legal status would require immigrants who are in the United States illegally to register, pay a fine, pass a criminal background check, learn English and pay all taxes.
"Our system must be strong enough to prevent illegal entry and to get criminal aliens off our streets and out of the country," Napolitano said. "But it must also be smart enough to reward the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit that immigrants have always brought to America -- traits that have built our nation."
Department of Homeland Security spokesman Matt Chandler would not respond directly to Hatch's criticisms, but defended Napolitano's position.
"Secretary Napolitano will respond directly to Senator Hatch, as we do not respond to correspondence through the media," Chandler said. " As the secretary has said, Congress needs to create the legal framework to bring people out of the shadows and increase the number of productive taxpayers -- otherwise all we have is amnesty by inaction. By disrupting the shadow economy that draws millions of illegal immigrants to this country, American workers will benefit."
