President Signs Funding for Chocola's Bill Into Law
Before the U.S. House of Representatives adjourned, they passed H.R. 5441, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007. This appropriations bill contained $1.2 billion in funding for the Secure Fence Act of 2006 which Congressman Chocola introduced along with his colleagues on September 14th, 2006. The President signed H.R. 5441 into law today making funding for Chocola's border bill certain.
"I spend a lot of time talking to folks in this district and the one thing I have been hearing consistently is that we need to secure our borders," commented Chocola. "I joined my colleagues in introducing this bill because I agree with them that we can't have a country without borders and it is vital for the safety of our families and our communities that we get a handle on the illegal immigration problem."
The Secure Fence Act provides for over 700 miles of two-layered reinforced fencing along the southwest border with prioritized placement at critical, highly populated areas and requiring an evaluation of infrastructure needs along the northern border. It also mandates that the Department of Homeland Security achieve and maintain operational control over the entire border through a "virtual fence" that deploys cameras, ground sensors, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and integrated surveillance technology.
Border fencing has proven to be an especially effective deterrent against illegal immigration. As an example- in 1996, Congress mandated the construction of a 14-mile fence along the San Diego-Mexico border to stop drug trafficking and the flow of illegal immigration. In the region, illegal alien apprehensions have dropped from approximately 200,000 in 1992 to about 9,000 in 2005 and crime rates have dropped by 47% since construction of the fence.
Although the 2nd District of Indiana is not in a border area, illegal immigration has still surfaced as an issue important to citizens in the 2nd District as witnessed during a forum held by Congressman Chocola last August to hear from area experts about the effects of illegal immigration on communities right here in Indiana.
"We have an unsustainable system," commented Chocola. "Our healthcare system, our social service system, our educational system, and our law enforcement system cannot continue to bear the burden that illegal immigration poses. There is a way to immigrate into this country legally, and we should be encouraging people who take advantage of that system, and not rewarding those who don't."
http://chocola.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=51301