Americans are tired of paying for the health care, education, and other social costs of immigrants who are in this country illegally. According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, the primary reason immigrants come to this country illegally is to find a job. That’s why I signed onto the discharge petition for the Secure America with Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act, which is a bipartisan plan to stop illegal immigration by securing America’s borders, expanding employer verification of workers and strengthening interior enforcement. Once the petition reaches 218 signatures, it would bring this bill directly to the House floor for a vote.

I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 5596 to extend the E-Verify program, which is set to expire in November, for 10 more years. E-Verify enables employers to verify the name, social security number, and alien identification number (for non-citizens) of newly hired employees. By demanding more accountability from employers, illegal immigrants will hopefully be discouraged from crossing the border to look for work.

Thousands of illegal immigrants have already left states like Arizona that have instituted mandatory employer verification programs. While we have made some progress in stopping the flow across our southern border, there is still much left to be done. I will continue working for sensible immigration reform that upholds the rule of law in this country.