Border Security
Our nation was founded and built by immigrants “yearning to breathe free.” I believe we should continue building on that proud tradition by welcoming newcomers into our nation while insisting that they learn and follow our language, laws, and history.
I am concerned with the rise in illegal immigration and the burden it is placing on the American people. Texas has 1.8 million undocumented residents, only behind the 2.5 million in California, according to the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington. This dramatic increase has placed added strains on our hospitals, schools, and government. In Texas, illegal immigration costs the state and taxpayers millions of dollars every year.
I am strongly opposed to amnesty for illegal immigrants. Respect for the rule of law is a hallmark of our democracy, and one of the reasons America has the largest immigrant population in the world. We must work to streamline and improve our visa system so that people who want to come to our country legally through the proper channels are able to do so without unnecessary delays. As a member of the Immigration Reform Caucus, I am working with my colleagues to overhaul our visa system. I also believe that employers should be required to verify the legal status of all employees using the national e-verify database. This requirement will reduce the incentive for illegal immigration and provide employers with the information they need to hire legal, documented workers.
The federal government is directly responsible for enforcing existing laws to secure our borders and ensure the safe and legal movement of people, goods, and commerce across our borders. I have been successful in pushing a zero tolerance program that is dramatically reducing crime and illegal immigration along our southern border. Under this strict enforcement policy, everyone caught crossing the border illegally is arrested, prosecuted, and jailed for up to six months. As you can see from the following chart, the sectors of our border where Operation Streamline is in effect have significantly lower numbers of individuals crossing the border illegally than other sectors. I strongly support expanding Operation Streamline across the entire Southern Border.
The Last Straw: The vicious attack on David and Tiffany Hartley at Lake Falcon, Texas last week by six heavily armed Mexican Pirates just makes me sick. They just wanted to site see and water ski and now Tiffanys’ husband is dead and she couldn’t even recover the body because of the relentless gun fire. Do Something.
I am not hearing any noise about The shooting on the lake on the border this week What about it?
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Immigration Statistics, federal law enforcement agencies detained 791,568 deportable aliens in fiscal year 2008, and 5,506 of them were from 14 special interest countries. Many of these countries are listed as sponsors of terror.
A fence is not the solution. A river doesn’t stop them, you think a dinky fence will? Expelling them and hunting them down under the likes of the proposed Arizona legislation is at the very least reminiscent of racial profiling seen in Nazi Germany and genocidal Balkans of the 90’s. Why all the fear tactics? What are we afraid of? This country is what it is because of how it was (with an open border history), if you change that you will be changing the formula which made the US the great nation it now is.
I agree people should go through the proper legal channels to come into the US, and illegal immigration should not be tolerated. That works for the ones outside looking to get in. What about the one’s already here?
And to those suggesting illegal immigrants be placed in jail, how many tax dollars does that cost vs. what they may cost us as illegal immigrants (at least they work and pay for food, goods and services)supporting local economies.
I agree with the posters here and fully support those representatives with my vote who will work to enforce and repel the illegal aliens from our countries and while you’re sending them back take their anchor babies with them. I feel for Mr. Escamillia, but why should his wife be given special treatment. Yes, this country was built by immigrants and for immigrants but for as long as I can remember there have been laws and guidelines that MUST be followed to claim the title “American Citizen.” This is not an entitlement, this is a privilege. Most of the foreigners, especially the Hispanic illegals, don’t want to live by our laws, they want the US to change the laws to suit them. This is proven time and time again with the many illegals that protest when the subject is broached. There are many Hispanics in the community where I live who are just as outraged by what’s happening as the American citizen is. Why — because they went the legal route, paid their fees and followed the letter of the law. I say to those folks welcome to our country and what can I do to help you, but for those who think this is their country, I beg to differ and eventually the American citizens will rise up and take back what is ours!! I am of German descent and yes, my distant relatives immigrated to this great country to live as they saw fit. However, none of my family members broke the law. We didn’t look for handouts and we’ve paid our debt to society. Now, I’d like to see the illegals do the same thing so that their descendants can proclaim the same thing! Build the wall, check papers and remove those breaking the law — plain and simple!
Border security is important.
What do you recommend we do about the flood of unidentifiable by racial profiling illegal immigrants from the Canadian border?