Issue Position: Secure Borders

Issue Position

Jim Gerlach Supports Strong Borders and Opposes Amnesty

Congressman Jim Gerlach believes immigration must be legal. He has been a tough critic of illegal immigration and has supported numerous efforts to secure our borders. In 2005 and still today, Gerlach has supported the construction of the southern border fence, which includes physical barriers, unmanned aerial vehicles, motion sensors and cameras to help prevent illegal border crossings.

The Associated Press reported that this and other crackdown efforts are causing the longest and most significant drop in illegal immigration from Mexico since the September 11th attacks. (AP, 5/4/08).

Commonsense solutions do work.

Jim Gerlach does not support rewarding illegal behavior with US citizenship, and opposes efforts to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants. Recent estimates found that amnesty for illegal immigrants would cost $2.6 trillion over the next 25-30 years by adding a severe financial burden to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other taxpayer subsidized programs.

To deal with labor shortages in agriculture, service and other specific industries that have real labor shortages, Gerlach supports an increase in legal seasonal work visas that allow temporary visitors to work legally and then they must return home or never be reemployed.

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