Put Politics Aside for Real Solution

Should There Be a Path to Citizenship for Illegal Immigrants?

• By Sen. Edward Kennedy
• Special to Roll Call
• July 14, 2006, 3:29 p.m.

Our country is engaged in a controversial debate over immigration reform. As with every immigration debate throughout our history, emotions run high and passions run deep. The debate goes to the heart of who we are as Americans. The debate will determine who can earn the privilege of citizenship. It will determine our strength in separating those who would harm us from those who contribute to our values. It will determine the course of our national progress and economic growth. Fundamentally, this debate is about good people who come to America to work, to raise their families, to contribute to their communities and to reach for the American dream.