Amnesty is Not the Answer

Floor Speech

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, both the President and the Senate have immigration plans with a central component of amnesty for those who are in the country without the benefit of citizenship.

Past experience has shown us that amnesty hinders us from creating the actual solution to our problems. Remember Congress, in 1986, allowed amnesty during the Reagan administration. We were then promised solutions, but those have not been met.

But let's focus for just a minute on the reality and forget the rhetoric. Which country has been the most welcoming to new citizens? Which country has offered the oath of citizenship to more people who chose to legally enter that country? If you look at this chart, you see it on the far end. It's the United States of America, where, in 2010, 1 million new residents were offered the oath of citizenship. That's better than Turkey, better than Belgium, better than Germany.

Look, amnesty will not solve the problems of drug violence and firearms. In Texas, increased border patrol has been asked for but not delivered, and fencing along the southwest border has been canceled.

We already do a good job allowing new citizens into our country. Perhaps if we focus on securing our borders instead of rewarding or offering amnesty, some of the problems would become more manageable.

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