Tucson lawmaker one of only five House members invited to testify before key border security subcommittee
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords today called on Congress to take charge of the nation's broken immigration system and use common sense to strengthen border security.
"It has become fashionable on Capitol Hill to sound tough on border security while running scared from the larger immigration crisis in our nation," the Tucson lawmaker told her colleagues. "That is short-sighted."
Testifying before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism, the Tucson lawmaker said comprehensive immigration reform - not an enforcement only approach - offers the best way to confront the border security crisis.
"Immigration is just as polarizing and emotional in my district as it is on Capitol Hill," said Giffords, one of only five members of Congress to testify before the subcommittee. "But Southern Arizonans want Congress to tone down the hysteria and rhetoric, roll up its sleeves, and reform all aspects of a broken system."
Such reform, Giffords said, should include improving the country's visa programs and upgrading the federal government's ability to verify the citizenship of employees.
"Spending millions and millions more on border security - even the smartest border security programs - will not make 12 million undocumented workers vanish from communities across America," Giffords said. "It will not result in the collection of back taxes and penalties from immigrants who live in the shadows."
Giffords noted her sponsorship of H.R. 5552, the Border Security Accountability Act, a bill aimed at making sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely by the Department of Homeland Security. She urged her colleagues not to "throw more money at the border" without first acquiring "a thorough assessment of staffing, equipment, training, and policies for all border security functions."
Despite being disappointed that House Leadership and the White House have not worked together on immigration reform, Giffords said addressing the issue is not insurmountable. "Let's show the American people that we can use common sense to secure our borders while also taking charge of other aspects of our broken immigration system," she said.