WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-Tiffin) voted for legislation today to guard our nation’s borders against the threat of terrorism and illegal immigration. Rep. Gillmor presided over part of the debate on the Secure Fence Act of 2006 which passed the House by a vote of 283 to 138.
“This bill is another important step that the House is taking in its commitment to secure America’s borders,” Gillmor said. “I have been advocating five principles on immigration for some time now and securing our borders is an important first step in this process.”
Gillmor Outlined his Five Principles on Immigration as:
- Strengthen border security by increasing resources to federal and state authorities to assist border patrol efforts;
- Enforce our laws banning the hiring of illegal immigrants;
- Design a limited guest worker program to allow temporary workers to live in the country legally for a fixed, but limited period of time;
- Oppose amnesty for those who have broken our laws;
- Change the focus of legal immigration to make it easier for our country to accept legal immigrants with higher skills or education such as doctors and scientists.
Gillmor says the Secure Fence Act accomplishes his first principle of strengthening border security by erecting a virtual fence of cameras and sensors in addition to the construction of a 700 mile two-layered fence along the southwest border at critical, highly-populated areas. The bill also provides the necessary authority to border personnel to disable fleeing vehicles in a manner similar to what is currently employed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The House of Representatives passed border security legislation last December which aimed at securing American borders. When the Senate took up the issue this year, it created what is generally considered a flawed bill by immigration experts and Rep. Gillmor. The Senate bill would allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at state colleges, provide guaranteed social security benefits for illegal immigrants and would require that the U.S. consult with the Mexican government before constructing any barrier along the U.S. border. The Republican leadership in the U.S. House has vowed not to pass legislation which would provide amnesty to illegal immigrants and as such, the House has committed not to pass the Senate legislation this year.
“Requiring foreigners to enter America lawfully is a commonsense and fair approach to immigration reform. This is not a punishment against any one person but rather an enforcement of the laws which make this nation great. We accept more than a million legal immigrants every year and Congress is committed to continuing our tradition as a welcoming nation while ensuring the safety of all our residents,” Gillmor said. “The bill passed by the House today continues the debate over illegal immigration by ensuring that our borders are secure. This debate has just begun and will not end with simply border security. There are many more priorities that must be met to secure our nation and the House is committed to these reforms,” Gillmor concluded.
The Secure Fences Act of 2006 awaits debate and passage in the U.S. Senate before it can be forwarded to the President for his signature.
