Mediaboss Marketing

Editors note: This article was originally published April 8, 2014

That, in essence, is what some political leaders have for any chance of comprehensive immigration plan to pass soon in this country.

Among those leaders with hope is San Antonio mayor Julin Castro and former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour. Both spoke on the panel Pathway to the American Dream: Immigration Policy in the 21st Century during the first day of the Civil Rights Summit at the LBJ Presidential Library. The two agreed on pretty much every point covered and often complemented one other. It left many of us to wonder why more politicians from opposing parties cant work together so gracefully on this particular topic.

Both Castro, a Democrat, and Barbour, a Republican, say comprehensive immigration reform is needed. The right reform, they agree, would find a solution for the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants deportation, not being a part of the solution.

The panel set out to talk about two types of immigration: legal vs. illegal. Castro agreed that there are distinction, but clarified that a potential large percentage anywhere from 15 percent to 45 percent of the 11 million immigrants cited have entered with a valid visa and just stayed, also known as over-stayers.

When we talk about border security, I hope people also talk about those people with visas who overstayed, said Barbour.

This segment of the undocumented immigrants is not talked about much because, Castro said, over-stayers arent as scary a thought as those who illegally cross the border.

That makes sense. For many, working immigrants have been unjustly stereotyped as criminals and violent people.

Barbour said, Americans want a safe border and theyre willing to pay for it.

However, throwing more money into border security and more boots on the ground wont make it more secure. And the panelists agreed.

It accounts for something that weve paid so much on border security and weve yet to figure out what that really means.

One of the first steps to securing the border is to set a standard by which to measure security, Castro said. Border crossings will never be at zero.

A heckler, who identified herself as a DREAMER, pointed out that the panel hadnt mentioned anything on deportation. And though they didnt immediately address the topic, the panelists agreed that deportation was not a viable solution to the immigration problem.

Anyone who thinks we are going to send back 11 million people, if they tell you that, theyll lie to you about other things, said Barbour. Thats just not going to happen.

So what can be done to solve the problem?

Both panelists agreed that crafting a law that takes into account the contributions made by millions of undocumented individuals and find a way to assure they earn citizenship is essential. Its just not practical to send them back.

After the summit Castro talked to me about the issue of deportation.

I asked him, while Americans wait for reform to pass, what should be done about the thousands of deportations that happen on a monthly basis across the nation.

My hope is that regardless of whether or not a reform happens in this calendar year, that the administration will find ways to alleviate deportations for people with families and for those who dont have serious criminal record, he said.

That is exactly what many local activists have been pushing for.

But that definition for a secured border nor a comprehensive reform can not come if republicans dont set politics aside and focus instead on a policy that works for the United States, said Barbour.

Both Castro and Barbour believe it will happen, if not this year, most certainly by election year 2016.

Lets hope it comes sooner than later.

More:
LBJ Civil Rights Summit: Long road ahead for immigration reform - Austin American-Statesman