America is engaged in a clash of civilizations. Democracy and the rule of law are up against forces of autocracy and corruption on the march around the globe. Those forces depend on a global dark economy that hides their money and their identities. As a national security matter, I’ve championed transparency measures to prevent criminals and foreign enemies from stashing ill-gotten gains on American shores.

Each wave of hardworking immigrants who settled in Rhode Island since Roger Williams has made our communities stronger and more prosperous. We need comprehensive immigration reform to bring undocumented workers out of the shadows to become law-abiding, tax-paying residents; we need border security that is effective and humane; and we need businesses to grow and create jobs. I helped craft the bipartisan immigration reform that the Senate passed in 2013, which Republican leadership in the House refused even to consider. Republicans recently blew up a second bipartisan Senate proposal. But we must not be discouraged; Congress must get back to work finding a bipartisan path forward.