[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 14, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H7943-H7944]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dent). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. GOODE. Mr. Speaker, in a continuing effort to combat the adverse 
effects that illegal immigration is having on the United States, I have 
introduced a concurrent resolution that expresses the sense of the 
Congress that the President should immediately and unequivocally call 
for the enforcement of existing immigration laws in order

[[Page H7944]]

to reduce the threat of a terrorist attack and to reduce the massive 
influx of illegal aliens into the United States.

                              {time}  1845

  I will summarize the text of that resolution without the whereas 
clauses.
  A primary duty of the Federal Government is to secure the homeland 
and ensure the safety of the United States citizens and its lawful 
residents.
  As a result of the attacks on this country on September 11, 2001, 
perpetrated by al Qaeda terrorists in the United States, the United 
States is engaged in a global war on terrorism.
  Four years after those attacks, there is still a failure to secure 
the borders of the United States against illegal entry.
  The failure to enforce immigration laws in the interior means that 
illegal aliens face little or no risk of apprehension or removal once 
they are in this country.
  The Government of Mexico actively encourages illegal immigration into 
the United States by, among other things, publishing how-to books and 
urging State and local entities to accept the metricula consular as 
valid identification.
  Granting amnesty to illegal aliens, or even proposing legislation or 
efforts for amnesty for illegal aliens, serves only to generate more 
illegal immigration.
  If illegal aliens can enter and remain in the United States with 
impunity, so, too, can terrorists enter and remain while they plan, 
rehearse, and carry out their attacks.
  The failure to control and to prevent illegal immigration into the 
United States increases the likelihood that terrorists will succeed in 
launching catastrophic or harmful attacks on United States soil.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe that we should resolve four things.
  First, that the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security 
should immediately use every tool available to them to secure the 
borders against illegal entry.
  Second, the President should announce publicly that he will oppose 
any proposal to grant legal status or amnesty to illegal aliens and 
that he and the Secretary of Homeland Security will use every tool 
available to stop illegal immigration into the United States and to 
announce efforts for the removal of illegal aliens from the United 
States.
  Third, the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security should 
seek the assistance of State and local law enforcement personnel in 
enforcing immigration laws, whether through formal agreements to 
cooperate or through the elimination of sanctuary policies.
  Fourth, the President and the Secretary of State should warn Mexico 
that any further action it takes to encourage illegal immigration to 
the United States will be viewed as interference with our domestic 
laws, in violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by reemphasizing how important it 
is for the position of this body and this government to say ``no'' to 
illegal immigration, to say ``no'' to amnesty. When amnesty occurs or 
is expected to occur, the floodgates are wider and more open for 
illegal aliens and those who might harm this country. Our future will 
be much safer and more secure if we will secure our borders and stop 
illegal immigration and give a resounding ``no'' to any amnesty policy.

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