Washington, DC – Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s remarks at his press conference today. 

“The President is wrong to suggest that new legislation is needed to address border security.  And, when he calls for a system that is ‘orderly, fair and humane’ that ensures people can immigrate legally and that employers do not hire illegal immigrants, he forgets a few facts. 

“We admit more than one million legal immigrants each year.  America is the most generous nation when it comes to legal immigration. 

“And laws are already on the books to ensure that employers don’t hire illegal workers, but the president’s administration is not enforcing them.  Administrative arrests in worksite enforcement cases are down 87 percent; criminal arrests of employees are down 83 percent; criminal arrests of employers are down 73 percent; the number of criminal indictments are down 86 percent; and the number of criminal convictions is down 83 percent since 2008. 

“The President’s words are seldom what they appear to be.  Today was no different.”

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