Immigration

“By recognizing the potential benefits of immigration, we recognize the potential inherent in individual human beings, from wherever they may come, when left to pursue their dreams in a free society.  And that recognition of the value of the individual, from whatever race or class, is America’s heritage.  It is what we strive for, and what makes our country unique and great.” (American Business for Legal Immigration Coalition op-ed

Senator Specter was a lifelong supporter of legal American immigrants.  His own father, Harry Specter, grew up in the Ukraine before he immigrated to the United States at the age of 18 to seek a brighter future.  Once in the U. S., he worked hard to provide a good life for his family and even served as part of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I.  Having seen what his father was able to do with his chance for a new life in the states, Specter believed that immigrants were an integral part of American culture.

Through his position in the Senate, Specter made many contributions to immigration policies.  He was heavily involved in the Judiciary Committee’s consideration of the Immigration Reform Act of 1996.  He felt that the bill was too restrictive as originally proposed, so he drafted several amendments and spoke out against certain points.  Foremost in his concerns was that the bill aimed to curtail both legal and illegal immigration.  Because he saw the value of immigrants, he successfully lobbied to have legal and illegal immigration addressed in separate bills. 

Another issue was that the bill made it more difficult for immigrants to get hired in the H-1B temporary foreign work system.  Specter proposed the Layoff Protection Amendment to create provisions against employers firing American workers just to hire cheaper foreign workers while still allowing foreign workers to bring their international expertise to H-1B jobs when properly qualified.  Finally, Specter’s biggest issue with the bill was the Gallegly amendment, which denied public education to the children of illegal immigrants. Specter argued that children should not be punished for the crimes of their parents.  The president and several other senators agreed, so the provision was removed.  After numerous amendments from Spector and other senators, the bill passed in its final form, and Specter heartily supported the resulting act.

Beyond his contributions to the 1996 reform act, Specter also pursued immigration reform in several other ways.  Late in his career, while he was battling with Hodgkin’s and chemotherapy, he used immigration and other issues as a distraction from the illness.  He continued to go on trips and meet with foreign leaders, such as Mexican president Vicente Fox in 2005, to discuss immigration.  Additionally, he always made sure to make time for individual immigration cases regarding his Pennsylvania constituents.  By championing individual immigrants, as well as working for large-scale immigration reform, Specter fulfilled both his duties as a Senator and the son of an immigrant.