IMMIGRATION

The problem of illegal immigration is among the most daunting that faces our nation. As an active member of the House Homeland Security Committee and the Immigration Reform Caucus, I have been fighting to enforce our immigration laws since I came to Congress. The United States is a symbol of hope to all those striving for a better life; however, our security is threatened when our borders are left open and unguarded. Terrorist attacks on our homeland have highlighted the potentially disastrous effects of porous borders and the need to bolster border security.

Illegal immigration also has additional far-reaching dangerous effects. Ultimately it punishes those who follow the laws and processes of the United States and rewards those who ignore them. Rewarding those who violate our immigration laws is insulting and unfair to the millions of hard working Americans who pay into our Social Security and tax systems. I will not allow illegal immigrants to raid the Social Security Trust Fund and rob Americans, especially seniors, of the funds they need and deserve. As such, Congress can no longer sit back and be content with the status quo. Americans deserve reforms that secure our borders and stem the tide of illegal immigration.

To that end, I voted for passage of H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act and of 2005. This bill increases surveillance along the border, requires a fence, adds 8,000 new border agents, eliminates visa lottery, authorizes 32,000 new detention beds, requires employers to use an electronic verification system to check a person's eligibility to work in the U.S., and increases the fines for employers who hire illegal employees. Additionally, the bill requires mandatory detention of illegal aliens, therefore eliminating the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) current dangerous “catch and release” policy.

I supported this bill not only because of these tough enforcements but also because it included a provision from my own legislation, H.R. 4253, the Illegal Alien Transport and Removal Act. My provision authorizes DHS to engage in competitive contracts with companies to help them manage domestic transportation of illegal immigrants, such as to and from deportation hearings, detention facilities, and/or to a point of departure for them to return to their home country. As DHS eliminates its “catch and release” policy and begins to hold illegal aliens until deported, we will encounter higher expenses in managing this tougher standard. Allowing the Secretary to competitively contract with companies providing the best combination of security, quality, and cost will free up DHS resources and ensure that the “catch and release” policy is gone for good.

I sympathize with those who desperately wish to live the American dream here, on American soil. I understand their desire for liberty, free markets, and guaranteed rights. That being said, immigration laws exist to provide the necessary steps for safe and legal entry into this country. We have an immigration process in place that simply must be followed. Illegal immigrants break the law by circumventing our system of entry and process for citizenship, and they endanger every one of us by doing so. Illegal immigration must be stopped, but we cannot and should not close our doors to those who wish to enter the country legally. We must increase our efforts at achieving closed borders with open, guarded doors.

One reason I have been so vocal about illegal immigration is that I, like so many of you, see this as a real threat. Porous borders with little enforcement leave the U.S. vulnerable to terrorists and criminals. Therefore, I have drafted a list of immigration principles from which I will not waiver. They are the following:

• No amnesty for illegal immigrants
• Social Security for U.S. citizens only
• Border security before guest worker program
• Tough sanctions for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants
• English as the official language of the United States
• No in-state tuition for illegal immigrants to attend college
• Support technology, fence & equipment to seal our borders
• Any legislation that rewards lawbreakers will not pass with my vote
• I acknowledge industries like agriculture need workers but I will only support them coming here in a secure, legal, and temporary fashion

Additionally, I offered an amendment with Congressman Steve King (IA) to strip bilingual ballots language from the Voting Rights Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. Unfortunately, the amendment did not pass the House. This provision of the Act has long kept new citizens from increasing their knowledge of our language and from fully integrating into our society. This 30-year-old requirement is outdated and costly. This is an expense that our election supervisors are encountering that could go towards other needs, such as upgraded voting software and better training of employees.

And since knowledge of English is required for U.S. citizenry, I question why bilingual ballots are even necessary. We should not encourage new citizens to isolate themselves. Rather, we should encourage celebration of the English language and erase the linguistic divide between new citizens and those with two, three, or more generations in this great nation.

To that end, I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 997, the English Language Unity Act of 2005. The legislation gives representatives of the Federal Government an affirmative obligation to preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the Federal Government. This includes encouraging greater opportunities for individuals to learn the English language. In addition, without an official language, enormous costs are incurred that bring an unnecessary burden to all American taxpayers. I look forward to continuing my support for such far-reaching and practical legislative solutions.