America will only become a genuine land of opportunity when the immigration reform bill is passed by Congress, according to US House Representative Eric Swalwell. Addressing a reception in the Dallas suburb Plano in Texas at the residence of Dr Muhammad Tariq and Aisha Tariq, Swalwell said that the growth of the US economy was dependant on immigration reform and that a key role in the issues being highlighted is being played by the immigrant community.
Swalwell added that the door cannot be closed on immigrants as they are a crucial component of the country’s labor force. Swalwell also revealed that he had recently become a member of a bipartisan group that now had 35 Congressmen who support immigration reform.
“I was born in a Republican house, so you can say I also carry Republican DNA in me,” Swalwell stated. “My opponent in Democratic primary is exploiting this fact. I am a Democrat but I also know the Republican perspective which makes it easy for me to negotiate.”
He claims to have impressed members of the Republican Party with his arguments on a number of issues and that he was able to help negotiate a solution to the recent government shutdown crisis.
Several community leaders and prominent activists attended the reception including APPNA leader Dr Jaleel and his wife, Syed Fayyaz Hassan, the national co-chair of the American Muslim Democratic Caucus, as well as a variety of physicians together with their spouses.