Immigration PolicyControlling our borders is the responsibility and duty of the federal government. As Ronald Reagan once said, “A nation without borders is not a nation.” I am proud of the record our country has for welcoming legal immigrants who want to become Americans and contribute to society while pursuing their own American Dream. I am, however, convinced that we must work to end illegal immigration and not reward those who have broken our immigration laws. I am against amnesty. Rewarding those who break our laws only encourages further willful violations of our immigration policies.
I have received hundreds of letters and emails on this subject and would like to share with you some of my thoughts on the matter.
Strong Principles of Sound Immigration Legislation:
- Border security must be first priority. Any reform must be led by the principle of “enforcement first.” New Border Patrol agents and technologies should join the effort, curbing the flow of illegal immigration and providing a situation where policy can be effectively enacted. I also support the construction of fences at high-incident areas along the border, providing a supporting infrastructure to both manpower and technology.
- We must not allow amnesty. I do not support amnesty. Citizenship is a privilege, as are the entitlements that come with it. We should not reward individuals who have broken our laws. Federal support, instead, should be for those who follow the legal route to obtain American citizenship.
- We need increased immigration enforcement and stiffer penalties for violators of law. We must focus on improving the enforcement of current law and empowering officials to do more where needed.
- We expect newcomers to obey the law and assimilate into American society by learning English. I support English as the official language of our country and believe all Americans should be proficient in the language spoken by our founding fathers.
- We must be aware of employment needs of the business community. Many industries tie their costs directly to the readily-available workforce provided by new immigrants. With effective systems, American employers can and should help support the nation’s initiative to curb the flow of illegal immigration.
Working Towards a Solution: It is time to secure our borders and find a permanent solution to the problem of illegal immigration. To address these matters, I became a member of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus. This group was established to provide a forum in Congress for addressing the positive and negative consequences of proposed immigration policies.
As your Representative, I will work to ensure that we gain control of our borders and begin serious enforcement of our current immigration laws.
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