Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Hearing on Nomination of Asa Hutchinson
MCCAIN:
Senator Smith?
SMITH:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And Asa, I join my colleagues in welcoming you here. I truly enjoyed our visit the other day, and thank you for the courtesy you showed me and many of my colleagues, I'm sure, to come by our offices.
I am, perhaps, repeating much of what's been said, but I think Chairman McCain really hit on one of the issues that the American people feel very keenly and that is the integrity of our borders. If you listen to talk radio at all you'll know that there is an incessant demand for the militarization of our borders, and I'm not advocating that, but I notice that in your record you actually did vote for that. I would be interested to know if you still think that the United States military has a role to play on our borders.
Having said that, as someone who worked with Ron Wyden and others to try to make since out of our immigration policy with respect to migrant workers, it is a fact that there are a few crops in agriculture, those that are labor intensive, that would simply shut down in the United States if there weren't some ability to employ migrant workers. Some of who work very hard to find athe right compromise, to bring some rationality into a visa program that allow them to work, and give them the safety to return, and the integrity of the law under which they could live while they're here. And we have been frustrated at every turn, so any thoughts that you might you have on that, I think, are very, verywouldare very needful. And we as a country have a special reason and relationship to keep a special relationship with Mexico, and with Canada. And I think these are very difficult times because of terrorism's overlay on everything we're talking about here.
But again, welcome. Please be mindful that when it comes to the INS that there are some local sensibilities to, particularly in the state of Oregon, where we've had a very unfortunate recent experience with a local director there that, fortunately, has been removed, but as it relates to racial profiling in a very flagrant and invasive way.
So welcome. We look forward to your service, and thank you for being here.