Issue Position: Border Security

Issue Position

Throughout her time in Congress, Blackburn has dedicated her efforts towards identifying legislative solutions to addresing the critical problem of illegal immigration.

As a member of the Immigration Reform Caucus, she supported tough measures to increase penalties for those caught smuggling illegal aliens into the country as well as those employers that knowingly attract and hire illegal immigrants. She is pushing for tough legislation that holds those caught breaking the law accountable.

She supported the REAL ID Act, which was signed into law on May 11, 2005, because it sets forth minimum standards for every state to follow when issuing a drivers license. This ensures that no one state can endanger the other 49 states with weak standards. In addition, a license cannot be issued without the applicant proving they are lawfully present in the United States.

Blackburn is also the author of H.R. 1314, the "No Visa without a Visa" Act, which closes a legal loophole in the Patriot Act , which allows illegal immigrants access to the American financial sector through the acquisition of credit cards, mortgages and loans. The legislation requires the federal government and financial institutions to accept only secure forms of identification to conduct official business and monetary transactions

She was also instrumental in getting a 287g grant for middle Tennessee which allows their state and local law enforcement agencies to perform new, limited duties relating to immigration law enforcement.

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