[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E14]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY PROTECTION ACT 
                                OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAVID DREIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 4, 2005

  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, the past several months have seen an almost 
unprecedented focus in this body on the extremely important issue of 
homeland security. Just a few weeks ago, we passed the National 
Intelligence Reform Act, a landmark piece of legislation to overhaul 
our intelligence agencies. But, as I noted at that time, the bill 
unfortunately did not go far enough in addressing the major security 
vulnerability presented by the porous nature of our borders.
  So as we continue to address the issue of border security, I am proud 
to be an original co-sponsor of Chairman Sensenbrenner's legislation to 
complete the San Diego border fence, and ensure that illegal immigrants 
are unable to receive drivers' licenses, something, I might add, 
already prohibited in my home state of California.
  But in addition to these important steps that will soon be taken, I 
rise to ask for the support of my colleagues for an illegal immigration 
control plan that I am pleased to introduce today. The plan is the 
brainchild of T.J. Bonner, the President of the National Border Patrol 
Council, and a 26-year veteran of the Border Patrol who still serves 
with them today. T.J. believes that our proposal will eliminate up to 
98 percent of the illegal border crossings into the United States.
  T.J. and I share the belief that for any proposal to stop illegal 
immigration to be successful, it must get at the root cause of what 
attracts illegal immigrants to our country--and that is the lure of 
economic opportunity and the ease with which illegal workers can find 
jobs. Under the Bonner Plan, we will dramatically increase the 
enforcement of laws which prohibit American businesses from employing 
illegal immigrants. Regrettably, too many employers have been unwilling 
to comply with the law. The growing availability of counterfeit 
identity documents has also undermined the current system because 
employers are increasingly unable to establish the authenticity of 
documents presented by job applicants.
  Our legislation adds new features to the Social Security card to 
deter counterfeiting and make it easier for employers to determine 
whether a card is genuine by including a digitized photo of the 
cardholder on the card. The improved Social Security card will also be 
encoded with a unique electronic encryption code to allow employers to 
verify each prospective applicant's work eligibility status prior to 
hiring, through either an electronic card-reader or a toll-free 
telephone number. Employers will face stiff federal fines of $50,000 
and up to 5 years in prison if they hire an illegal immigrant or choose 
not to verify a prospective employee's work eligibility. The employer 
would also be required to reimburse the government for the cost of 
deporting the illegal immigrant.
  With the improved Social Security card and national verification 
system, employers will have no excuse for hiring illegal immigrants. By 
eliminating the supply of jobs for illegal workers, we will end the 
incentive for illegal immigrants to enter the United States because 
they will know that they will be unable to make a living here.
  Legal workers will only need to update their Social Security card 
once, to have their photo placed on the card and for other long-overdue 
anti-fraud measures to be applied. A worker would only need the updated 
Social Security card when applying for a new job. I want to make it 
very, very clear that this proposal does not represent the creation of 
a national identification card. This bill strictly prohibits the use of 
the Social Security card as a national ID card, and stipulates that the 
card not be required to be routinely carried on one's person. Social 
Security cards are often already required to be provided to new 
employers; the changes we are proposing to the Social Security card 
take us no further down the road of creating a national ID card.
  Finally, the Bonner Plan also puts teeth into the new enforcement 
procedures by calling for the addition of 10,000 new Homeland Security 
officers whose sole responsibility will be to enforce employer 
compliance with the law. These new agents will free up the rest of the 
Border Patrol to exclusively focus on border enforcement and terrorism 
prevention.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not stand here today to tell the rest of the world 
that we intend to limit opportunities for the American dream to be 
fulfilled. But if foreign nationals wish to come to the United States, 
they must, as Governor Schwarzenegger said, ``play by the rules,'' and 
we must make clear that there will be no economic opportunity for 
anyone who enters this country illegally. I look forward to continuing 
to work with my colleagues in this effort, and hope they will consider 
joining me as we take action on this vital national security priority.

                          ____________________