Hensarling Speaks on Immigration

Hensarling Speaks on Immigration

U.S. Congressman Jeb Hensarling (R-Dallas) was in Jacksonville, Friday morning to hold a town hall meeting in the Norman Activities Center. The meeting was to discuss immigration, border security and to explain the differences between the House-passed Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 (H.R. 4437) and the Senate-approved Reid-Kennedy Bill, which would grant amnesty and provide benefits to some illegal immigrants.

"Border security is homeland security, and we can no longer afford to ignore those coming across our borders," Hensarling said. "We live in a post 9/11 world and are fighting a War on Terror. Neglecting border security could have potentially deadly consequences."

Since coming to office in 2003, Hensarling has been a strong supporter of immigration reform. He has been a key voice in the drafting and acceptance of H.R. 4437. "Between my e-mails, my mail and my telephone, clearly illegal immigration is a subject that is on the forefront of most people's minds in our district," Hensarling said. "I believe we ignore border security at our own peril."

Hensarling said he views militant Islamic extremists to be the single greatest threat to his nation and his family. Hensarling also said that Al Qaeda has already been caught trying to infiltrate the nation's southern border and has made contact with human smugglers in Mexico.

"I think this is an important topic for several reasons; when I look at threats to my nation and threats to my family, I put this rabid strain of Islam that engages in terrorist activities, that hates Western civilization, that hates everything America stands for, as the number one threat to my family. It's a threat I take very, very seriously," Hensarling said. "I think that unbridled illegal immigration is not just a threat to our homeland security, frankly, it's a threat to our economic security, as well. The testimony that I have seen as a United States Congressman has convinced me that Texas has spent billions of dollars educating the children of illegal immigrants — that is a lot of money that could be spent on Texans and Americans."

Hensarling said he believes that as a nation, we are approximately a decade behind where we should be in controlling our own borders.

"I do not believe that the first lesson you want to teach a new immigrant is that our laws are suggestions and that they can be ignored at will. We need to teach respect for the law," Hensarling said. "There has to be real consequences for illegal behaviors, and I believe you do need to strengthen the penalties for people who choose to enter the country illegally."

Hensarling explained that the first step in immigration reform is securing the country's borders. "We have got to secure our borders first. You have got to stop the bleeding," Hensarling said. "We also need to really strengthen the penalties for employers with a pattern of knowingly hiring illegal immigrants."

Hensarling told the town hall meeting audience that he understands America was founded as a nation of immigrants but qualified that sentiment by saying that there is a right way and a wrong way to migrate. "If people are going to come here, we want them coming through the front door, in the light of day, and we want them to knock on the door and ask permission," Hensarling said. "We don't want them to come in the backdoor, in the dark of night, without our permission."

Hensarling outlined the Senate's Reid-Kennedy Bill and expounded upon what he saw as flaws in the bill. "It greatly increases the number of immigrants that can come to our country, both legally and illegally," Hensarling said. "And all illegals who have worked here for at least five years will qualify and be guaranteed Social Security benefits under the Senate bill."

Hensarling said he sees the Senate bill as an enticement to illegal immigrants rather than a deterrent. "I believe under this Senate bill, you are providing a magnet for even more illegal immigration. The Senate bill, in many ways, is a very wrong-headed approach and it is very dangerous," he said.

Hensarling immediately left the town hall meeting to conduct a similar meeting in Rusk.

http://www.house.gov/list/hearing/tx05_hensarling/071006JDPImmigration.html