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Our Principles
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1. The members of Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform (MCIR) differ in their political viewpoints but are united by their belief that record levels of mass immigration into the U.S. in recent years, both legal and illegal, have distinctly negative impacts on taxpayers, working Americans, and on our environment and quality of life. Illegal immigration costs U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion a year at the federal, state and local levels. In addition, the constant pressure on wages created by a mass influx of low-skilled workers has significantly eroded the economic security of working Americans. Finally, the relentless annual increase in our population, largely driven by immigration, chews up open space, degrades our environment, and creates ever-increasing crowding that degrades our quality of life. For these reasons, the members of MCIR favor policies that will sharply reduce immigration.
2) MCIR is strongly committed to civility in the public debate of immigration. Nothing said, written or done by MCIR should be construed as advocating or condoning hostile actions, speech or feelings toward immigrants, illegal aliens or other foreign-born people.
3) In addition to being an affront to the rule of law, abetting illegal immigration is clearly harmful to the workers and taxpayers of Massachusetts. Massachusetts has had the sharpest rise in unauthorized workers over the past decade. Partly as a result, the incomes of low skilled workers in the state fallen more than in any other state in the Union. The infrastructure that supports illegal immigration is dominated by criminal gangs and exploits some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Employers use unauthorized workers to lower wages and degrade working conditions and social protection for Americans and lawful immigrants. Accordingly, MCIR opposes any legislation or policy that would aid or abet illegal immigration or to encourage aliens who are in the country illegally to move to Massachusetts, including but not limited to in-state tuition, driver’s licensing and access to social benefits. MCIR will make every effort to prevent such laws and policies from being enacted and to repeal those already enacted.
4) MCIR supports the actions of ICE in uncovering and sanctioning instances of employer use of unauthorized workers.
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5) Massachusetts should enact mandatory E-Verify on the state level. Mandatory E-Verify should be enacted on the Federal level.
6) Federal State cooperation in law enforcement is a pillar of our system of justice. State and local law enforcement agencies should cooperate with the Federal government in locating and removing criminal aliens.
7) The highest immediate priority in 2021-22 should be to maintain security of the U.S. border through adequate enforcement.
8) The government should take all appropriate measures to assure that no self-described “asylum seekers” take advantage of the administrative backlog of asylum requests in order to enter the country. The Federal authorities should continue to work with the authorities of Mexico, Central American countries and other countries so that applications for asylum are considered in keeping with United States laws and international agreements.
9) The United States does not need "guest workers" or any other program to provide employers with cheap labor -- there are more than enough Americans willing and able to fill all jobs at decent wages.
10) America does not need to import tech workers. The U.S is still producing enough skilled graduates in core STEM disciplines to fill industry needs and already has an unlimited pool of technology trained and experienced citizens constituting the world's "best and brightest.”
11) Legal immigration should be reduced drastically and the criteria by which legal immigrants are selected should be revised fundamentally.
12) “Chain migration” should be ended.
13) The practice of “birthright citizenship” should be ended.
14) The current policy of resettling refugees and asylum seekers in the United States should be critically examined.
15) We are open to humane resolutions of cases of individuals who are in this country illegally, but blanket amnesty is unacceptable.
16) Amend/repeal laws that serve as magnets for illegal immigration (drivers licenses, in-state tuition, sanctuary (see case law “Lund”?)