Our borders have become a convenient tool for Republicans who want to keep our immigration system broken for political gain. The louder the American people call for comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, the harder the GOP opposes it by describing any attempt to fix our employment, labor and naturalization laws as “amnesty.” We need to take the issue seriously rather than reducing it to a heated slogan and letting the problem get worse.

I support a comprehensive immigration reform package with features favored by a clear majority of Americans:

• Requiring immigrants to obtain legal status and pay taxes by filing with the government, submitting to a background check and participating in a new employer verification system.

• Making sure that undocumented immigrants who have no criminal history have a way of obtaining legal status in an efficient and just manner.

• Ensuring that border agencies have the resources they need to stop criminal gangs and smugglers, especially at ports of entry.

• Reducing the severe visa backlog and removing the caps for highly skilled workers and family members of permanent residents.

I was extremely disappointed by the non-decision outcome in the Supreme Court case Texas v. United States that resulted in the blocking of President Obama’s implementation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program and his expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The two programs combined would have allowed more than 4 million undocumented persons to apply for deferred action and be temporarily exempt from deportation. Many of these people have been separated from their family members and simply want to live under one roof as a family. Instead of tearing families apart, we should be making it easier for them to work, go to school and contribute to society without fear of deportation.

It is important to constantly remind ourselves that we are a nation of immigrants. Our diversity makes us the unique, prosperous country we are today. Since I was elected to Congress, I have been proud to fight for the millions of people who feel just as American as you and I do in our hearts but are still stuck in the shadows. I will continue to fight for sensible immigration reform that will allow these people to seek the same American dream our ancestors once sought for us.