Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

"Enacting smart, secure, and effective immigration policies requires taking a comprehensive approach that addresses the short-term and long-term security and economic needs of this country."

As a trusted leader and expert on border security, Congressman Reyes has been involved in the immigration policy conversations and negotiations since coming to Congress. In 2005, when Republicans still controlled the House of Representative, they pushed to enact H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 . Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (now Speaker Pelosi) asked Reyes to draft and offer the Democratic alternative on the floor of the House. Not only was he asked to lead this floor battle, he also was asked to testify in many hearings in D.C. and across the nation, using his expertise to explain why H.R. 4437 would be ineffective and on the need for a comprehensive immigration reform. Reyes' leadership helped ensure that this highly controversial bill did not become law.

In addition, Congressman Reyes has been instrumental in the drafting of previous comprehensive immigration reform bills including the Kennedy-McCain bill, the STRIVE Act, and has long championed his PORTS Act as a complimentary piece. In the 111th Congress, Congressman Reyes has met with President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and other leading Congressional Members throughout the year. With 26 ½ years of law enforcement experience as a Border Patrol agent and Sector Chief, Congressman Reyes' leadership and expertise on security issues as Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, has made him a key player in immigration over the course of his career.

With a strong record of public service, Congressman Reyes understands the importance of working with community, religious, and business leaders, human rights advocates, immigration stakeholders, and law enforcement officers, to craft sound, well reasoned, and effective immigration policy that facilitates commerce, supports border communities, and empowers our law enforcement officers with the resources needed to keep smugglers, traffickers, narcotics, and weapons out of our country.

The latest immigration bill, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act (CIR ASAP) includes provisions on border security, detention, and enforcement largely authored by Congressman Silvestre Reyes. The bill highlights Congressman Reyes' legislative work on border security and if enacted would:

· provide 5,000 additional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers across the nation, allowing for an increase in total officers by approximately 30 percent over five years;

· provide 350 additional support personnel and 1,200 agriculture specialists at CBP, which will help ensure that officers will not be pulled away from inspection duties to perform specialized or administrative work, and;

· authorize $5 billion over five years for the General Services Administration (GSA) to repair and reconstruct land ports of entry. GSA and CBP will be required to work together to prioritize repair work.

These numbers and recommendations are supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Border Trade Alliance, the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance, the Border Counties Coalition, and the NTEU.

Source