[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 163 (Saturday, December 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 BORDER PROTECTION, ANTITERRORISM, AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CONTROL ACT 
                                OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. DAVE WELDON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 16, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4437) to 
     amend the Immigration and National Act to strengthen 
     enforcement of the immigration laws, to enhance border 
     security, and for other purposes:

  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 
4437, The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration 
Control Act of 2005. This is a good bill that takes some important 
steps to curb illegal immigration, secure our borders and make America 
safer.
  The bill takes a broad range of actions to secure our Nation. These 
include imposing tougher penalties for those who smuggle illegal 
immigrants into the U.S. and for those who overstay their visas. 
Individuals involved in making and using fraudulent documents will face 
stiffer penalties. We also end the ``catch and release'' policy that 
allows apprehended illegal immigrants to slip away unnoticed and live 
illegally in the U.S. as they will no longer simply be released back 
into the community.
  With regard to granting immigration benefits, i.e., citizenship, 
green cards, permanent residency, the bill ends the practice of 
granting such benefits to those for whom a background check has not 
been completed. Immigration benefits should not be handed out simply 
because a certain number of days have passed since the investigation 
was commenced. Perhaps the background check approval is being delayed 
because of the need to fully investigate a possible criminal or 
terrorism risks.
  Current law denies immigration benefits to those who are classified 
as habitual drunkards, but not those affiliated with terrorist 
organizations. This bill fixes that problem by making sure that illegal 
immigrants who are deportable on terrorist grounds are deported without 
delay.
  H.R. 4437 requires employers to verify that prospective employees are 
legally employable. The bill ensures that a system is in place for 
employers to verify the legal status of such job applicants and it 
provides penalties for employers who violate these laws. The bill also 
prohibits federal funds provided under the State Criminal Alien 
Assistance Program to any state or local government that maintains a 
``sanctuary policy'' for illegal immigrants.
  In order to ensure that we have a better understanding of just who is 
crossing illegally into the U.S. the bill requires the Department of 
Homeland Security, DHS, to report to Congress on the number of illegal 
aliens apprehended who are from non-contiguous countries, with a 
particular emphasis on ascertaining the number of individuals from 
countries known to harbor terrorists. DHS is also to provide the 
Congress with a timeline for fully equipping all land borders with the 
US-VISIT entry/exit system.
  On a 260-159 vote, the House mandated the construction of security 
fencing, including lights and cameras, along the Southwest border in 
sectors with the highest number of illegal border crossings, drug 
smuggling, and immigrant deaths. Additionally, DHS will be required to 
conduct a study and report back to Congress on the use of physical 
barriers along the Northern border.
  Mr. Chairman, H.R. 4437 moves us in the right direction of addressing 
the serious problem of illegal immigration making the United States 
more secure.

                          ____________________