Immigration Reform and Border Security

I believe in a comprehensive approach to immigration reform and border security that consists of three parts: securing the borders, dealing with the 11 million illegal immigrants and reforming current immigration laws.

Securing the Borders

We should put in place the right tools and trained professionals to interdict every individual who tries to cross the border illegally. We will disagree, perhaps, about how this is done, but we can agree on the goal, which will be easier to accomplish if we reduce the number of individuals trying to sneak into our country.

Congress has passed important legislation provides for operational control of our ports and borders through the use of physical barriers, enhanced electronic surveillance and greater numbers of port-of-entry inspectors. It requires that all illegal immigrants apprehended by the Border Patrol remain in custody until their removal from the country and increases penalties for alien smuggling and for aliens illegally reentering the United States.

Non-Amnesty Temporary Worker Program

Any long-term solution to illegal immigration must include a temporary worker programs. These programs allow domestic employers, in industries such as agriculture and hospitality, to hire temporary foreign workers only if they are unable to find U.S. workers to meet demand.

Employers interested in participating in the program would first apply to the U.S. Department of Labor for a certification that U.S. workers capable of performing the work are not available and that employment of alien workers will not adversely affect the pay and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. The temporary guest workers would be required to return home to their country of origin once their temporary guest worker privileges expires.

However, I am opposed to any guest worker proposal which grants amnesty to illegal immigrants that leads to citizenship. Guest worker proposals, such as President Bush’s plan, are not amnesty programs. Under his proposal, illegal aliens will not be granted automatic and immediate legal status. They would only be eligible to receive a temporary worker permit, and the ability to apply later on for permanent legal status, where they will not get to “cut in line” in front of existing applicants. There is no guarantee that they would ever obtain permanent legal status in the U.S. Additionally, his proposal requires that a specific job be lined up for any incoming immigrant worker before they enter the country, and would create a new electronic database system to track temporary migrants, to ensure that they return to their home country as scheduled.

Reforming Immigration Laws

A rational and comprehensive immigration reform package must strike a balance so that we can protect America while acknowledging the important economic contributions that these temporary foreign workers make. We can agree on the proper fines and sanctions for illegal immigrants whose only wrongdoing is sneaking into this country so that this program is not considered amnesty for that wrongdoing.

Enforcement of the law is essential. By creating legal channels for temporary workers to enter and exit the country, our Border Patrol agents and other enforcement officials can use all of their resources to target, catch and arrest the drug traffickers and terrorists who seek to do us harm. A temporary worker program should include increased penalties against businesses and employers who blatantly ignore the law. Enforcement of our reformed immigration laws will send a clear message to immigrants in every country that the only path to a job in America is through legal means.

I look forward to an open debate in Congress on all immigration reform proposals to fight illegal immigration and work to secure our borders, while modernizing the system to provide opportunities for those who would like to legally find work in the U.S.

Mike Conaway | 11th District of Texas

Immigration Reform and Border Security

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