Don Young

Immigration

The United States has provided various nationalities a refuge to pursue the “American Dream.”  However, in the wake of September 11, 2001, immigration policies needed an extensive overhaul to assure national security.  I am a strong supporter of the E-Verify program which allows participating employers to check the work status of new hires online.

I have voted for legislation aimed at protecting Alaskans and all Americans from the drawbacks of illegal immigration.  One bill is H.R. 1427, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2007.  This amendment requires applicants for housing assistance to present proof of identity and legal status.  I also voted in support of an amendment to H.R. 3043, the Department of Labor’s Appropriation Act, which prevented use of any funds with any kind of totalization agreement with Mexico.  A totalization agreement with Mexico would have allowed illegal Mexican workers to receive credit for money paid into the Social Security system, while they were using a fraudulent Social Security Number.

In the 111th Congress, I consistently voted to protect hard working Alaskans and Americans nationwide from the negative effects of illegal immigration.  I cosponsored H.R. 2287, The No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act of 2009.  This legislation would prevent illegal aliens from collecting Social Security related benefits.  Furthermore, I voted in favor of the Alien Smuggling and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2009, which directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to check persons smuggled illegally or who are suspected of alien smuggling at U.S. land, air, and sea borders, against all available terrorist watch lists. 

As the 112^th Congress progresses, I look forward to furthering initiatives such as the E-Verify program, while maintaining my support of past legislation which will soon be reintroduced.  The United States offers many foreign nationals a chance to improve their lives, however, I will continue to only support methods which promote the legal gain of American jobs and citizenship.