Debating the Republican plan to reduce legal immigration to the U.S.

“U.S. Senate immigration bill; Dramatic shift, cuts,” Aug. 3 news story.

The administration’s latest proposal to limit the number of legal immigrants who come to our county is at best misguided, and at worst would have dire economic and moral consequences for our nation. Instead of limiting legal immigration, we should be creating a path to citizenship for the young adults who were brought over as children and who are now contributing members of our communities.

In preparation for a possible repeal of DACA protection, several bipartisan efforts have emerged in Congress to bring back the Dream Act. This would provide such a legal pathway and would give the complainers exactly what they’ve been demanding — a congressional solution for legal citizenship.

The Dream Act would strengthen our economy, and would be in alignment with America’s values of welcoming those who want to work and are law abiding. Sen. Cory Gardner should join his colleague Sen. Michael Bennet in supporting such a bipartisan effort. ●●● “Trump’s curb on immigration,” Aug. 5 letter to the editor. Letter-writer Philip S. Connolly compares two different worlds. Sixty years ago, when Connolly emigrated from Ireland, the population of the U.S. was about 172 million. Today it is about twice that. Sixty years ago the U.S. could absorb the low-skilled working their way up the ladder. Today we have an abundance of the low-skilled and a shortage of the highly skilled.

In 1957, there were two superpowers, drugs were not a problem, and technology had not changed the labor market. Perhaps the biggest change has been in the politics of legal vs. illegal immigration. At some point the mass of refugees quits being emigrants and becomes invaders.