Statement on Immigration Reform

Statement on Immigration Reform

"Illegal immigration is rightfully a concern for many Americans, and I believe that comprehensive immigration reform is needed. In this post September 11, 2001 world, we must be concerned about border security and do more to insure that we know who is entering the country, including taking practical steps to prevent people from illegally entering the country. This desire to strengthen our borders, however, should not disrupt the lives of people who legally came to the United States and are productive, taxpaying members of our communities.

The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is the nation's first line of defense against unauthorized migration. The USBP mission is to detect and prevent the entry of illegal aliens into the country, assist in the detection of possible terrorists, and prohibit drug smuggling and other criminal activity. I support efforts to strengthen the USBP so that they may continue to protect our borders. In 2004, I supported and the Congress enacted the Intelligence Reform Act (or the "9/11 Act"), which mandated an additional 2,000 Border Patrol agents being hired over each of the next five years. However, the President's subsequent budgets have failed to include adequate resources to implement the Act. Indeed, the President's FY 2006 budget called for only 210 additional Border Patrol agents.

The Republican-controlled Congress has not done much better. In FY 2006, they funded only 1,000 additional agents.

The 9/11 Act also mandated an additional 800 immigration enforcement agents over each of the next five years. And yet, for FY 2006, the Republican-controlled Congress funded only 350 additional agents.

The Act also mandated an additional 8,000 detention beds, but for FY 2006, the Republican-controlled Congress funded only 1,800 additional detention beds.

President Bush and House Republicans continue to underfund the Border Patrol. The President's FY 2007 budget does not fully fund the authorized levels for the Border Patrol, while the Democratic budget substitute does. The FY 2007 House Homeland Security Appropriations bill that was marked up in subcommittee last Thursday falls 800 border patrol agents, 3,130 detention beds, and 500 immigration enforcement agents short of the authorized levels.

Our National Guard troops, already spread thin by extended deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, are not trained for this type of border surveillance. They should not suddenly be called on, six months before national elections, to make up for the past five years of Republican neglect and mismanagement of our country's border security.

Building a fence along much of the Southwest border, as included in the House-passed version of H.R. 4437, is not a practical solution that will prevent the entry of illegal immigrants into the United States. Such a fence will merely re-route unauthorized migration.

We need to provide a path for the estimated 10 million undocumented workers currently in the United States to become documented through a legal process of applying for permanent residency or citizenship. It is clearly in the best interest of the U.S. to identify these undocumented individuals and provide them with the necessary incentive to come out of the shadows and regularize their status.

I am, however, opposed to complete amnesty for the estimated 10 million undocumented workers currently in the United States. Amnesty, as I understand it, is a general pardon granted by the government with no strings attached. Everyone needs to live by the law. It would be unfair to place those who illegally entered the United States ahead of those who have been patiently waiting, perhaps separated from their loved ones, for a legal visa to become available. I support the provisions in S.1033 to provide a path for earned legalization that requires people to go through a thorough legal process of attaining a visa, then applying for legal permanent residency, paying a penalty for their illegal entry, and then possibly becoming a citizen in the future.

Immigration reform must include tough punishments for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. The Senate bill creates an electronic program called the Employment Verification System. This program makes it easy for employers to know who is authorized to work in the United States and who is not, and will hold employers responsible for hiring illegal workers. By doubling the fines for employers in violation of the law, it makes complying with the law a better business decision for employers.

I do not believe that churches, charitable groups, or individuals, should be subject to criminal prosecution for providing food, shelter, medical care or counseling to undocumented immigrants. Criminalizing this compassionate behavior would not stop unlawful entry to the United States.

As we craft a measure to stem the tide of illegal immigration, we must consider why there are millions of people from other countries seeking employment in the United States. The United States should be a leader in the world in promoting policies that serve to raise living standards for everyone."

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