The Dallas Morning News reports that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano remains optimistic that Congress eventually will pass a bipartisan immigration-policy overhaul bill. However, because the White House and Congress are consumed with healthcare legislation, Napolitano could not predict when a bill would be introduced. Nevertheless, she believes the process will be less contentious than previous attempts during the Bush administration.

Napolitano stated that immigration legislation needs to focus on the following:

• Developing or strengthening penalties for employers that repeatedly hire illegal immigrants;
• Countering new tactics used by human traffickers and money launderers to exploit the border;
• Developing programs that allow seasonal workers to enter the U.S. legally; and
• Updating the visa process so that students with skills needed by the U.S. can remain in the country.

Napolitano expressed her opposition to amnesty, stating that she favors an approach allowing illegal immigrants to pay fines and taxes without incurring criminal liability.