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I fully recognize we need to improve the path to citizenship, just as we need to value the hard work of folks who become American citizens legally.

When millions of law-abiding people achieve citizenship, our communities benefit, and the U.S. economy grows and strengthens.

If the undocumented have to work hard to attain citizenship, those of us who already are citizens should have to work hard to sustain it. We should all have to serve more, vote more, build more, and do more for our country.

If we build the legal immigration system better, then they come here, and we'll have a whole lot less illegal immigration.

Next, we will create a modern immigration law.

We have got to secure the border and enforce existing immigration laws.

Going forward, as we work to strengthen our border in the interests of homeland security, we must also recognize the economic importance of immigration reform.

We can still find middle ground, truly secure our borders, deal with those already here and address our labor needs. But those who advocate giving current illegal aliens and future guest workers a special path to citizenship must compromise.