Our nation is in need of an immigration policy overhaul to prevent illegal immigration, yet welcome those who choose to come to the U.S. legally.
The threat to public safety posed by an unsecure border can no longer be ignored by the federal government. The number of assaults, kidnappings, drug trafficking, and murders along the border have exploded in recent years. Securing our nation's borders is essential not just to our national security, but also to our economic security. Illegal immigration costs U.S. taxpayers over $100 billion each year.
Tim Murphy believes amnesty is not the answer because it will only encourage more people to enter the United States through illegal means. Those who have entered the country unlawfully should not be allowed to go to the front of the line and be permitted to stay. Amnesty explicitly excuses the act of crossing the border outside the legal process and implicitly excuses other related illegal acts such as driving with a fake license and using false work documents.
Most importantly, our normal immigration procedure involves screening to block potential criminals and terrorists from entering the United States. Under an amnesty program, millions of illegal aliens who have avoided this screening will be allowed to permanently bypass it.
Tim believes we must reform the visa application process to remove the current backlog in the system, and enforce strict penalties for those who come here illegally.
Tim supports the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act which would increase border security, provide strict work place enforcement of immigration laws and require employers to verify workers' status through Department of Homeland Security. It would also add 6,000 Border Patrol agents and increase aerial surveillance of the border.