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Immigration
“Enacting smart, secure, and effective immigration policies requires taking a comprehensive approach that addresses the short-term and long-term security and economic needs of this country.”- Congressman Silvestre Reyes
As a trusted leader and expert on border security, Congressman Reyes has been involved in the immigration policy conversations and negotiations since coming to Congress. In 2005, when Republicans still controlled the House of Representative, they pushed to enact H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 . Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (now Speaker Pelosi) asked Reyes to draft and offer the Democratic alternative on the floor of the House. Not only was he asked to lead this floor battle, he also was asked to testify in many hearings in D.C. and across the nation, using his expertise to explain why H.R. 4437 would be ineffective and on the need for a comprehensive immigration reform. Reyes' leadership helped ensure that this highly controversial bill did not become law.
In addition, Congressman Reyes has been instrumental in the drafting of previous comprehensive immigration reform bills including the Kennedy-McCain bill, the STRIVE Act, and has long championed his PORTS Act as a complimentary piece. In the 111th Congress, Congressman Reyes has met with President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and other leading Congressional Members throughout the year. With 26 ½ years of law enforcement experience as a Border Patrol agent and Sector Chief, Congressman Reyes’ leadership and expertise on security issues as Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, has made him a key player in immigration over the course of his career.
With a strong record of public service, Congressman Reyes understands the importance of working with community, religious, and business leaders, human rights advocates, immigration stakeholders, and law enforcement officers, to craft sound, well reasoned, and effective immigration policy that facilitates commerce, supports border communities, and empowers our law enforcement officers with the resources needed to keep smugglers, traffickers, narcotics, and weapons out of our country.
The latest immigration bill, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act (CIR ASAP) includes provisions on border security, detention, and enforcement largely authored by Congressman Silvestre Reyes. The bill highlights Congressman Reyes’ legislative work on border security and if enacted would:
· provide 5,000 additional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers across the nation, allowing for an increase in total officers by approximately 30 percent over five years;
· provide 350 additional support personnel and 1,200 agriculture specialists at CBP, which will help ensure that officers will not be pulled away from inspection duties to perform specialized or administrative work, and;
· authorize $5 billion over five years for the General Services Administration (GSA) to repair and reconstruct land ports of entry. GSA and CBP will be required to work together to prioritize repair work.
These numbers and recommendations are supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Border Trade Alliance, the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance, the Border Counties Coalition, and the NTEU.
Other bill highlights:
Tough Electronic Verification System
Bill mandates an electronic employment verification system administered by DHS with the collaboration of the Social Security Administration. The verification system would be phased in over time and includes money to study the benefits of a biometric verification system.
Legalization Requirements
Bill requires all undocumented individuals to register with the U.S. government, pass a background check, pay a $500 fine, pay back taxes, learn English and U.S. civics, and enter a 6-year probationary period with conditional LPR status. Conditional LPR status allows them to work and travel legally. After six years and after pending applications from legal migrants are reduced, those individuals who have been working, studying, have served in the Armed Services or otherwise contributing in their communities, may apply for green card status.
Market Based Immigration Policy
The bill creates a Commission on Labor Markets and Immigration that will work to provide labor and market data-based recommendations for better immigration policies that promote America’s economic growth and competitiveness while minimizing job displacement, wage depression, and unauthorized employment in the United States.
Integration of New Americans
The bill incorporates aspects of the DREAM Act, PROUD Act, and AgJobs bills and expands the provisions of the Citizen Promotion Act of last Congress. It also includes a grant program for community-based organizations to promote and help immigrants prepare for citizenship.
Accomplishments
Under the leadership of Congressman Reyes, border security policy is heading in the right direction. Congress passed, and President Obama signed, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which included funds to strengthen security efforts along the border. To date the Department of Homeland Security has already received $2.8 billion to strengthen the nation's borders, hire new agents, provide new explosives detection equipment to airports, upgrade rail and transit security, and improve emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
Over $400 has been allotted to the Southwest border for tactical communications modernization, infrastructure projects, non-intrusive inspection equipment, and to accelerate deployment of surveillance technology at the Southwest border ports of entry. These smart investments coupled with an increase in Border Patrol agents are all part of the comprehensive approach needed to help our law enforcement officers keep the border safe.
Congressman Reyes supports legislation that complements the security work already started and that focuses on our ports of entry. It is time to make an investment in port of entry personnel and put the resources necessary in our port infrastructure to support a smart, secure, and effective border security operation. Congressman Reyes supports comprehensive immigration reform and believes enacting strong immigration legislation will support a security operation that facilitates commerce, supports border communities, and empowers our law enforcement officers with the resources needed to keep smugglers, traffickers, narcotics, and weapons out of our country.
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