Illegal Immigrants Sneaking Across the Border

Washington, D.C., Jul 21 -

Ever since Congress began the debate on how best to secure our borders and deal with the millions of illegal immigrants living in the United States, the response from 5th District residents has been overwhelmingly supportive of the House bill, and completely opposed to the sham amnesty bill that came out of the Senate.  Of the 3,000 plus letters, e-mails and phone calls I have received from my constituents, only about 50 were in favor of the Senate amnesty bill.

Given those statistics, you should understand why my constituents and I are appalled at the “No Illegal Alien Left Behind” legislation from the Senate.  Rather than focusing on the immediate and urgent threat that unidentified border crossers pose to our security, the Senate chose to pass legislation that weakens law enforcement’s ability to enforce America’s immigration laws and gives amnesty to millions.

In my opinion, the federal government is incapable of multitasking.  I find the idea that we could properly secure our borders at the same time we are trying to put a five-tier structure in place for the 12 million illegal immigrants to “earn citizenship” a joke.  Not only will it never work, but this plan will most likely make our borders less secure.

The Senate amnesty plan rewards lawbreakers, gives Social Security benefits to illegal immigrants, and ties the hands of border control agents and sheriffs.  It is clear that open borders leave our nation vulnerable to future attack and infiltration.  Thankfully much of the American public understands that the Senate’s fatally flawed bill does not deserve to pass the House in its present form.

Any legislation that rewards lawbreakers will not pass with my vote.  I cannot support a final bill that does not fund the construction of a real fence on the border, that does not declare English as the official language of the United States and that provides Social Security benefits to illegal immigrants.  As the Representative of the most Social Security recipients in the nation, it is unconscionable to me that hard working American seniors will have their money siphoned off for immigrants who broke our laws and came to our country illegally.

The Senate approach that offers amnesty to illegal immigrants already in the U.S. would not address our most pressing needs, and would undermine existing efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.  President Ronald Reagan said, “A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation.”  For the sake of our national security, strengthening America’s borders should be our top priority.