Before Congress adjourned, we took important steps to strengthen our nation’s border security. Stopping the influx of illegal immigrants is a top priority for me.
The House and Senate, in an effort by House leadership to deliver border security legislation to the President’s desk, passed the Secure Fence Act of 2006. This legislation authorizes a 700-mile barrier along vulnerable areas of our border with Mexico. Constituents continually emphasize the importance of securing our southern border. I am also proud to report that on October 4, 2006, the President signed the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for FY2007 into law. The bill provides $21.3 billion for border protection and detention programs, along with additional agents and fugitive teams for enforcement of our immigration laws.
In San Diego, after the construction of a fourteen mile fence and the addition of border security agents, apprehension of illegal immigrants dropped to 100,000 in FY2002 from 480,000 in FY1996. Erecting a physical border and adding border control agents are powerful deterrents to illegal aliens. In addition, the House passed legislation that will enact criminal penalties of up to twenty years’ imprisonment for individuals who knowingly construct or finance the construction of an unauthorized tunnel across a U.S. international border.
One of the most significant obstacles law enforcement officials face is identifying those who are in our country illegally. In response, I have introduced the No Match Immigration Enforcement Act. Currently, the Social Security Administration (SSA) notifies an employer when an employee’s social security number does not match the SSA’s records. The employee receives a “no match” letter and is advised to correct the discrepancy. Despite the threat of lost benefits, less than one percent of workers actually clear up the mismatch. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates that as many as ninety percent of these workers do not correct this discrepancy because they have procured their jobs through immigration fraud.
A “no match” letter is often the first sign that a worker is here illegally. However, bureaucratic walls prohibit SSA from sharing the existence of a “no match” with immigration enforcement agents. My legislation would remove this bureaucratic red tape so that DHS can investigate and determine the status of these workers.
The House also passed two bills allowing for the investigation and detention of illegal aliens. By empowering law enforcement and federal agencies to enforce current law, we ensure that illegal immigrants can be investigated and deported. The Community Protection Act of 2006 allows the Department of Homeland Security to detain dangerous aliens for longer than six months when they cannot be deported for various reasons. The Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 reaffirms the inherent authority of State and local law enforcement to voluntarily investigate, identify, arrest, detain, and transfer to federal custody aliens in the U.S. When Congress reconvenes, I will work to ensure that these initiatives become law.
By securing our borders and empowering law enforcement officials, Congress has begun to address the problem of illegal immigration.