Sample Immigration Op Ed

America Needs Immigration Reform ASAP By [Author] The devastating consequences of a broken immigration system have plagued our nation for far too long. Recently, Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D–IL) introduced the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009,” marking the beginning of a desperately needed debate to fix the broken system that weakens our already struggling economy and betrays American values.

A weak national economy demands strong solutions. Solutions come from taking action. To do nothing simply maintains the status quo. Comprehensive immigration reform would level the playing field for all workers by providing measures to crack down on unscrupulous employers who undermine the American workplace. Providing a path to legalization would stop the exploitation of the underground workforce, end unfair job competition, lift wages, and increase tax revenue—important steps toward rebuilding America’s economy.

Immigration reform would also help rebuild and restore our values that have been eroded by hate. Most Americans do not believe that deporting 12 million people is a realistic solution. The American public has been more pragmatic on the issue than lawmakers, and the public outweighs the voices of the naysayers. Americans are ready to fix our broken immigration system. The vitriol surrounding the immigration debate has spread through the airwaves and our communities, and has become a virulent virus that has correlated with murderous hate crimes in New York and Pennsylvania. These crimes are a wake­up call. We cannot afford to abide by the rules of the status quo any longer.

[Insert personal anecdote here. In our community…]

That’s why [organization] has joined NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, in the Reform Immigration FOR America Campaign to be a part of the solution. Our communities must let Congress know that we will not stand by as our economy declines nor continue to sacrifice our values. We must make our representatives hear our call for an America that reflects our values of fairness, justice, and the rule of law.

[One­line author bio]