Flanders Speaks Out On Immigration Reform

BARRINGTON, RI - From Flanders For Senate: Former Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Judge Robert Flanders, released the following statement on immigration reform and border security.

"We need to secure our borders and reform our immigration system.

We live in age of heightened security. Thus, we need to secure our borders, just as we need to secure our schools, our ports, our transportation networks, our critical energy infrastructure, and our elections, among countless other venues.

But we can achieve enhanced border security without separating non-citizen families that present themselves to immigration authorities after crossing the border and then attempt to seek asylum.

We are a nation of immigrants who built this country into a beacon of hope for the world. Although America is a compassionate country, we are also a country of laws and due process.

As a former Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice, I will always advocate for enforcing the law. If you disagree with a law, you can argue your case in the courts or seek change through political activism. But laws are the bedrock of society and must be obeyed. Anarchy is not an option.

Sheldon Whitehouse has had twelve years to be concerned about the status of the U.S. immigration system. The facilities currently being used to temporarily house non-citizens awaiting asylum determinations are the same facilities that the Obama Adminsitration used. His words ring hollow and Rhode Islanders are sick of him playing partisan games with people's lives, dating back to his time as Rhode Island's Attorney General and his botched handling of Jennifer Riviera, which resulted in a young and innocent girl's murder. Time's up!

We need to reform our broken immigration system. The immigration policies of 20th century America, do not match the needs of 21st century America. Mass immigration of unskilled labor has depressed wages for Americans, while immigration of skilled labor - engineers, doctors, computer scientists - faces too many bottlenecks, while businesses, universities, and research facilities struggle to get the talent they need.

Partisan food fights have gotten us nowhere. Sheldon Whitehouse has had twelve years to reform our immigration system and secure our borders. He has done nothing. Time's up! Rhode Island tneeds a U.S. Senator who will get things done."

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