Sam Johnson

Immigration

Border Security and No Amnesty
I say if you are here legally, you ought to be rewarded.  If you are here illegally, you ought to be deported.

We must do something to shore up our porous borders.  I am a strong proponent of using an “enforcement first” approach to combat our serious illegal immigration problem.  I signed the discharge petition for Congressman Heath Shuler’s S.A.V.E. Act.  The SAVE Act aims to reduce illegal immigration through a strict emphasis on border security and interior enforcement. 

In addition, I am against any legislation that gives illegal immigrants free reign in America.  Granting instant American citizenship to illegal immigrants – sometimes called “amnesty” - is an affront to all of the folks who have followed the rules and waited in line to become citizens of America legally.  The concept of blanket amnesty is an outrage.  Amnesty rewards people for breaking our laws and encourages others to do the same. We tried amnesty during the 1980s.  It was a complete failure.  We must learn from our mistakes.  We know this: Amnesty Does Not Work.

To strengthen border security, I have co-sponsored the Secure Borders FIRST (For Integrity, Reform, Safety, and Anti-Terrorism) Act of 2007 as well as the Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2008.

Social Security Benefits for Americans Only
Social Security benefits should only go to American citizens and legal immigrants who rightfully earned them.  As the Ranking Member on the Social Security Subcommittee, I have fought to ensure this fair and reasonable idea does not get trampled. 

In the future when Congress returns to the illegal immigration reform debate, I will fight to ensure that only Americans receive Social Security benefits.  It’s just common-sense.

Pardon agents Ramos and Compean
Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean are currently serving 11 and 12 year prison terms, respectively, for shooting a drug-smuggling illegal immigrant.  Their case garnered international media coverage because of the harsh prosecution and unjust conviction of the agents for shooting a fleeing illegal drug smuggler during an altercation after 740 pounds (over $1 million street value) of marijuana was discovered in his van near the border.

This case just makes me sick.  These men are being punished for doing their jobs.  They tirelessly worked to ensure that drug dealers couldn’t cross our border into America – and the border patrol agents are being punished. 

Time and time again, I have urged President Bush to pardon agents Ramos and Compean.

Worksite enforcement as a component of illegal immigration reform
On November 1st the nation’s employment verification system, E-Verify, will expire.  Mandating E-Verify won’t fix a broken employment verification system that has helped grow the number of illegal immigrants in America to over 12 million people.  We must find new solutions.

My bill, the New Employee Verification Act, H.R. 5515 or NEVA, would build upon the successes and fix the flaws of the current employment verification system known as E-Verify.  It would replace the current paper-based and error-prone I-9 process – upon which E-Verify is based – with an easy-to-use electronic verification system that is already in use by 90 percent of American employers. 

My bipartisan bill will achieve three important objectives: ensure a legal workforce, secure workers’ identity, and protect Social Security.  The bill strengthens worksite enforcement by making employers part of the solution

With E-Verify scheduled to expire this year, now is the time for the Congress to create a new way forward that prevents unauthorized employment.

Related Documents:

Press Release - Sam Johnson wants Agents Ramos and Compean freed 11.15.2007

Press Release - Sam Johnson calls on Johnny Sutton to testify before Congress under oath on protecting a Mexican drug smuggler over U.S. border agents 7.25.2007

Column - Enforcing the law and protecting those who protect us 2.8.2007

Press Release - Johnson urges Bush to pardon border agents; Calls for resignation of Inspector General 2.7.2007

Press Release - Sam Johnson criticizes White House policy on illegal immigration 1.24.2007


More Documents...

Related Files:

H.R. 5515

NEVA One Pager

immigration privacy authorization form

Letter Urging Senator Frist to Reject Amnesty for Illegals

Summary of HR 3938

More Files...