Statement on the Commission on Immigration Reform

I reiterate my earlier congratulation to the Commission on Immigration Reform for its hard work on legal immigration reform. The Commission has provided the Congress and the Nation with an excellent framework to achieve gradual reductions in the level of legal immigration. This is a goal and objective I share.

The Commission's first report on illegal immigration endorsed many of the activities my administration has initiated. This report on legal immigration also shares many of my principles to guide reform. Our legal immigration system must be based on principles that are pro-family, pro-work, and pro-naturalization. I anticipate working with Congress in a spirit of bipartisanship to craft the specific legislation that will put these principles in practice.