CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight - Transript
CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight - Trancript
DOBBS: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is the ranking Democrat on the immigration and border security sub-committee. She says our immigration and customs enforcement agency faces nothing less than an emergency. She joins us from Capitol Hill. Congresswoman, good to have you with us.
REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE, (D) TEXAS: Nice to be here with you, Lou.
DOBBS: Congressman Hostettler said that he was troubled and disappointed by the administration's reduction in the number of border patrol agents in the current budget, in the proposed budget, also in terms of the I.C.E. agents? Do you concur? Are you concerned as well?
LEE: Lou, I think we are united on our frustration and our sense of disbelief that in this time, some 4 years after 9/11, that we have not strengthened our internal enforcement and of course our border patrol agents and their professional needs. And that means funding, it means training and it means equipment.
Let me just share with you some of the (AUDIO GAP) Mr. Callahan who eloquently spoke of the need for boosting morale and the concern that they were not able to do very important work.
When you ask for, or when the intelligence reform bill of 2004 asked that you should have 800 I.C.E. employees or I.C.E. investigators. And that deals with, of course, people who are in place, illegal aliens who are potential terrorists and others in the country to do arm, the investigative arm, you ask for 800 and you have only 143 in the FY06 budget, that's a crisis.
When you ask for 10,000 over 5 years for border patrol agents, and that means 2,000 a year and you only get 210, that is a crisis.
And I believe that we are not divided on the fact that we must provide that kind of insurance in providing security and the safety of the homeland.
DOBBS: Do you believe, Congresswoman, that in point of fact, the Bush administration cut those numbers and put them forward in conjunction with the efforts for an amnesty program, the guest worker program that President Bush has put forward? Is there a relationship in what is effectively an open borders policy and what is effectively an amnesty?
LEE: I would not attribute, if you will, bad intent to the administration. But I hope they take guidance from the Congress. First of all, I think the program that they have, the guest workers program is is not the answer. I happen to think we're doing patchwork on immigration, and I think Americans want us to do a comprehensive reform.
Lou, you may understand that I truly believe that there is some ability to provide a pathway for legalization for those already here. The president's program is an open door and a flat-Earth theory.
What does that mean? It's a three-year program. It means that you're here for three years and you're asked to leave after three years. Does anyone realistically think that once you're invited in that you're going to leave having set down roots? So that's why I think his program is unworkable.
Let me tell you what I think will work. The president needs to sit down, obviously listening to the American people. I agree with the chairman, I think immigration is on the minds of many Americans. Sit down with the United States Congress, recognize that immigration issues, security issues are not partisan, and forge, if you will, a comprehensive solution such as what I've had offered, the Comprehension Fairness Reform Act of 2005.
We can do this with security, with enforcement and also with finding a way to address the question of 14 million undocumented in the country at this time.
DOBBS: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, we thank you for being here.
LEE: Thank you for having me.
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