Issue Position: Immigration

Issue Position

I believe if you break the law you should be punished.

Not only do I think we need to fix the dangerous loopholes in our immigration system, but I am also opposed to giving blanket amnesty to all undocumented immigrants inside our borders. In 2006, I voted for the Secure Fence Act to authorize and construct a fence on our southern border to prevent illegal immigration and keep our borders secure--but that isn't enough. We must continue to strengthen our immigration policies until we secure our borders and successfully account for all foreign visitors within our country.

I strongly support efforts to stop illegal immigration, improve border security, and develop a border management system that enhances homeland security while facilitating legitimate travel and trade. Our immigration system has a number of weaknesses which require greater attention from federal, state, and local governments. I think that first, we need to increase security at our borders and integrate new technologies to prevent known criminals and suspected terrorists from entering our country. Hundreds of miles of our border go unmonitored by either personnel or technology every day. The federal government still needs to hire an additional 2,000 inspectors and develop a new staffing strategy to deal with immigration control issues along both our northern and southern borders. That is why I supported President Obama's decision to send 3,000 National Guard troops to the border and will continue to support increased border patrol.

I also believe that we must work to ensure that US employers do not hire illegal immigrants. That is why I have supported full funding for the E-Verify system, which is a program that checks new hires' eligibility to work in the United States by utilizing Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security databases. In these difficult economic times where employment opportunities are increasingly scarce, the need to verify the eligibility of potential employees is even more important.

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