The Bottom Line on Immigration

The Bottom Line on Immigration

This summer, Congress held a series of hearings across the country in order to gather more information about how to reform our nation's immigration system. These hearings were nothing more than a political exercise that told us exactly what we already know. We already know the system is broken and Congress must take immediate action to secure our borders and enforce existing laws. Our solution is a simple one: enforcement first and enforcement only. This border security effort is critical for our homeland security as well as our economic security.

As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I am pleased the President finally acknowledged that our nation's current immigration policy has failed and Congress must seriously debate policies that will strengthen security at our northern and southern borders, our seaports and our airports. Previous efforts to improve security have failed because the President has refused to request and administer the necessary funding and the Republican Congress has refused to fund these critical programs at a level acceptable for our homeland security needs. It is ultimately the responsibility of the President to provide Congress a roadmap for securing our borders.

Our challenges have been outlined clearly. The 12 million undocumented aliens in our country are the result of an immigration policy which does not provide an adequate number of Border Patrol agents, does not make greater use of physical and technological barriers on the border, does not hold employers accountable for hiring and exploiting illegal workers, and does not enforce existing immigration laws. The American people recognize the urgency of this issue for our nation's security, and they expect results.

I strongly believe that any discussion about immigration reform should begin with the protection of our borders. We need a serious investment in Border Patrol agents, Immigration Enforcement officers, and new surveillance technologies. Most importantly, we need a strong and effective Department of Homeland Security to enforce our border security policies. Last December, I voted to help stop the flow of illegal immigration by supporting H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act. This bill will strengthen border security by hiring 10,000 additional Border Patrol agents, building a fence along the southern border, and making greater use of technology such as satellites, sensors, video cameras and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to provide border surveillance. The bill also ensures that all employers are able to verify whether their employees are legally authorized to work, and penalizes those employers who do not comply with the law.

As a strong supporter of the House bill, I am opposed to illegal immigration and will oppose any measure that includes amnesty for illegal immigrants. America is a nation of laws.

I appreciate that America is ready to address the critical need for immigration reform, and hope my colleagues in Congress take this responsibility seriously instead of wasting time trying to overhaul our entire immigration system. We need to stick to the bottom line and move forward on the one issue we all agree—securing our borders should be the first priority. Now it's time for Congress to stop bickering and start prioritizing the safety of the American people.

http://www.house.gov/list/speech/ar01_berry/immigration.html