Dean Johnson Comments for Media on Immigration Reform Bill

Dean Kevin R. Johnson commented on the immigration reform bill under consideration in the U.S. Senate for media including the Voice of Russia and the Monterey County Herald.

Dean Johnson provided an overview of the proposal in an 11-minute interview for the Voice of Russia, stating that the bill provides "something for everyone" with an interest in immigration reform.  "In some ways, it's very much a compromise bill that would provide something for people interested in enforcement, people interested in a path to legalization, and also something for people who want to change our legal immigration provisions," he said. He described facets of the bill that would increase border enforcement, allow for more visas for low and moderately skilled workers, provide a path to citizenship to the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the United States, and other aspects of the bill.

Speaking to the Monterey Country Herald, Dean Johnson said the bill has both good and bad points, with perhaps the most bothersome being that the path to citizenship would take 13 years to complete, and permanent legal status would become available only after the border was deemed to be secure.

"The part that bothers me is the 13 years for legalization. It's a long time and some people don't like that," said Dean Johnson. "The border security triggers, it's a mixed bag in my view. Overall, there are a lot of promising aspects to the bill. It has a good chance of passage."

Kevin R. Johnson is Dean and Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law and Chicana/o studies at UC Davis School of Law. He is an internationally recognized scholar in the fields of immigration law and policy, refugee law, and civil rights.

The Voice of Russia

Monterey County Herald

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