[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 20 (Thursday, February 16, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY

  (Mr. KELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KELLER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about the national 
security implications of illegal immigration. Last year, our Border 
Patrol agents arrested 155,000 illegal aliens from countries other than 
Mexico who attempted to cross into the United States by the Mexican 
border. They included illegal immigrants from Iran, Iraq and 
Afghanistan.
  This poses a very serious national security problem, according to CIA 
director Porter Goss. On a recent trip to the Mexican-California 
border, I spoke with Border Patrol agents who had apprehended suspects 
on the terrorist watch list. On the day I was there, two illegals from 
Pakistan were captured. When we go to the airport, our names are 
checked against a terrorist watch list, we have to produce photo ID, we 
remove our shoes, we walk through a metal detector, and we send our 
luggage through an X-ray machine to check for bombs.
  Who is doing checks on the 8,000 people who arrive here illegally 
every day? The House has recently passed a tough border security bill. 
I urge the Senate to act now in the name of national security.

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