Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

Our nation's immigration laws must be respected and enforced. We must secure our borders to ensure illegal immigrants do not enter this country, we must not reward people who do enter illegally, and we must work with our neighbors on border law enforcement and to promote economic opportunity in their countries, in order to prevent illegal immigration for economic reasons. People who are here illegally, but otherwise have obeyed our laws, should be given the opportunity to return to their country of origin, with the option of applying for legal entry into the U.S. This is a matter of preserving our national security, protecting federal, state, and local budgets; and reducing stress on our country's job markets.

I will not support any bill that contains amnesty. Phil Hare talks about giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship -- this sounds a lot like amnesty, and that can not stand. In 1986 Congress granted amnesty to approximately three million illegal immigrants and promised increased border security in the near future. Over twenty years later, the number of illegal immigrants in our country is approximately twelve million, with an estimated 10% being hardened criminals. Rather than repeating the mistakes of our past, Congress must work to secure our nation's borders and enforce the immigration laws already in place. In addition, immigrants must be required to learn the English language as all American citizens are.

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