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Press Office - Articles
SAME OLD IMMIGRATION SONG
Congress must change its tune on border security and enforcement
Author: Sen. Elizabeth Dole
Publication: The Charlotte Observer |
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June 18th, 2007 - "Our country desperately needs to regain control over its borders. This bill will help us start that process and will provide the immediate relief on the border that we need."
"This immigration bill says we are going to get tough with immigration laws; we are going to take care of the backlog; and we are going to blunt the economic magnets that draw these people into the country illegally."
"We will be bringing people out of a shadow economy, people will be paying taxes."
"In my view it is a good bill. We should all support it and be glad that this long controversy has been finally put to rest."
Such was the rhetoric in Congress during debate of the immigration bill in 1986! Sounds familiar, doesn't it? We've been hearing this same old song coming out of Washington in recent weeks.
When Congress passed an immigration bill 21 years ago, an estimated 3 million illegal aliens residing in the United States were granted amnesty. At that time, promises to secure our borders and enforce our laws were made but not kept. As a result, today an estimated 12 to 20 million illegal aliens live in the United States. The U.S. Senate now has an opportunity to truly address the past failures that have put us in the current crisis -- but unfortunately, the Senate immigration bill again puts the cart before the horse.
This bill rushes to legalize millions of illegal aliens, which is not the urgent matter at hand. We must first focus on securing our borders and enforcing our laws. I have heard from thousands of North Carolinians who ask me what is being done to address these pressing needs and to make our communities safer. Understandably, folks have no confidence that this is occurring.
Consider last year's authorization of 700 miles of border fencing -- astoundingly, just two miles have been built! And the catch-and-release of illegal aliens who are committing crimes, such as drunk driving, has become commonplace.
During consideration of the Senate immigration bill, I proposed an amendment to ensure that illegal aliens convicted of drunk driving would not become repeat offenders and remain in this country. But my commonsense proposal to address this serious and growing problem was denied consideration, much less a vote.
Similarly, many of my colleagues had worthy, enforcement-focused amendments that were blocked. The American people deserve better than an immigration bill that is crafted in secret sessions by just a handful of senators and then sheltered from meaningful debate and amendments. With good reason, when I saw a chance to derail this fundamentally flawed immigration bill, I acted on it.
No more of the same old song. It's time for Congress to change its tune to border security and law enforcement first. We must not ignore history's lessons -- we must get immigration reform right this time.
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