Immigration

As indicated by the 2010 Census, there are an estimated 11.2 million illegal immigrants residing in the United States. Twenty years ago, there were an estimated 3.2 million. Currently, the number is believed to be increasing by approximately 500,000 a year. At this rate, in another 20 years there would be an additional 10 million illegal immigrants living in the United States with a total population of over 20 million.

Illegal immigration brings with it a host of problems. First, it costs the American taxpayers a great deal of money. Illegal immigrants use our medical services, get state and federal assistance, and benefit from our educational system, all at the cost of U.S. taxpaying citizens.

The cost to federal, state, and local governments, as well as the American taxpayer, is only one facet of the problem, and certainly not the most insidious. Illegal immigrants also pose a security threat to our country. As we attempt to combat terrorism around the globe, it is unsettling that so many undocumented persons are able to illegally enter our country with such impunity.

What we need, however, is not amnesty, which sends the wrong message to those who have flouted our nation’s laws, but real immigration reform and meaningful enforcement of our immigration laws. That is why I am proud to be a member of the Immigration Reform Caucus (IRC). The IRC is an organization dedicated towards identifying legislative solutions to address the issue of illegal immigration.