A third-generation Marylander, Ben Cardin has been a national leader on health care, retirement security, the environment and fiscal issues while representing the people of Maryland in the U.S. Senate, and before that in the House of Representatives. He has worked across party lines to further U.S. national security and to ensure that good governance, transparency and respect for human rights are integrated into American foreign policy.
First elected to the Senate in 2006, Senator Cardin currently serves as Chair of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, which is at the forefront of rebuilding our economy. He is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations, Finance, and Environment & Public Works committees.
Our nation’s immigration and border security system is broken and must be fixed. We must ensure that our border is secure, while at the same time honoring America’s long-time commitment to providing refuge to those seeking asylum as they flee and persecution in their home countries.
Congress and the President must work together to enact comprehensive immigration reform so that we can bring undocumented immigrants out of the shadows using a fair process. Such a measure must include provisions to protect Dreamers and those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Dreamers TPS recipients are essential to our communities in Maryland and across the country. They came here legally and are business owners contributing to our economies, students with bright futures, and leaders on the frontlines of our social movements. Ultimately, Congress should provide eligible individuals with a pathway to citizenship for long-standing residents who now call America their home.