Letter: It’s time to fix America’s immigration process
Immigrants aren’t outsiders — they’re part of the backbone that keeps our valley thriving. Ski instructors from Argentina, hotel workers from Jamaica, construction crews from Mexico, nurses from the Philippines, and families from across the U.S. come here to live, work and raise children. Yet the immigration system that governs so many of our neighbors’ lives is broken — confusing, glacially slow, and often cruelly arbitrary.
We see the consequences locally: Jobs go unfilled, families are separated for years, young people hesitate to visit relatives, and long-time residents live under constant uncertainty. National debates may sound abstract, but in our schools, clinics, job sites and churches, immigration policy is deeply personal.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We can build a fair, efficient and predictable system — one that treats legal immigration as essential civic infrastructure, not a partisan battleground. That means clear rules, timely decisions, and a reliable path from legal entry to citizenship.
Naturalization currently costs about $710 online or $760 by mail, with low-income applicants sometimes paying $380 or qualifying for a full waiver. These fees are only the start; translations, study materials, travel, and legal help can bring the true cost to thousands of dollars. Under a better system, fees would be predictable and transparent, video interviews would reduce travel costs, and applicants would receive decisions within 12 months, knowing exactly what to expect.
The bigger bottleneck is obtaining a green card. Families and workers wait years — sometimes decades — because of outdated quotas, country caps, and overlapping categories. During that time, people delay buying homes, starting businesses, or even reporting crimes for fear their status could be jeopardized.
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A modern system would unify the process, allowing up to one million new permanent residents per year, each with a guaranteed yes-or-no decision within 12 months. Annual admission levels could be adjusted downward during economic downturns using data from The Conference Board and the U.S. Department of Labor. Country caps would be eliminated, and all applicants — whether through family, employment, refugee protections or other routes — would follow the same steps and timelines. Predictability would help families plan and allow employers to know when workers can arrive.
Applications would begin online with early biometric and security checks, followed by a single set of standardized forms. Clear criteria — security risk, financial self-sufficiency, family ties, humanitarian need, and national interest — would guide decisions. Interviews could be in person or by secure video, especially important in rural counties. Every applicant would receive a written decision, ending lost files in backlogs.
Security, community stability, and economic health must go hand in hand. Applicants should meet basic requirements for health, English skills, financial stability and a clean background check. Merit factors such as education, work experience, and verified job offers should complement — never replace — our commitment to keeping families together and protecting people fleeing danger. Spouses and minor children should be allowed to join temporarily after a fast initial screening so families are not torn apart while paperwork moves forward.
We also need a solution for neighbors already here without legal status who have deep roots locally and nationally. A one-time legalization program should require at least three years of continuous, crime-free residence, proof of work or self-support, tax compliance, and basic English and civics knowledge. Prioritizing applicants with immediate family who are citizens or legal residents would strengthen family stability and community cohesion.
For Eagle County, a functional immigration system is not abstract — it is a practical necessity. Our tourism, construction, health care, child care, and service sectors rely on a stable, legal workforce. Schools, nonprofits and faith communities work with immigrant families who want what long-time residents want: safety, opportunity and a fair chance to belong.
A unified, timely and humane immigration system would reduce illegal crossings, improve respect for the law, and restore trust that the rules are fair. Communities like ours could plan for housing, transportation and services with a clearer sense of who is coming and when.
The American dream should not be a decades-long waiting game or a roll of the dice at the border. It is time for our federal government to fix immigration in a way that reflects the values we live by here at home: hard work, fairness and looking out for one another.
John Genova
Vail
