ease the long, treacherous path to citizenship for LEGAL foreign workers before illegal ones cut in line. It's fair.

People who have played by the rules applying for a visa at a U.S. consulate, attending U.S. institutions of higher education, working legally and paying taxes, should be granted the opportunity to become U.S. citizens before others. The current system is keeping people in line for a decade or more to earn permanent residency. It's discouraging, morally damaging, and very unfair. Many foreign workers have their dream of becoming a U.S. citizen tied up to a job, that if lost, will shatter such dream. A lot of great talent is heading to other nations that offer more efficient immigration systems. The worst that could happen to these workers who are patiently waiting in line would be to see illegal immigrants cutting in line and obtaining citizenship before them. Reform must be merit based.