[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 88 (Monday, July 10, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H4936-H4941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    BORDER SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 4, 2005, the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that and this evening we 
are going to spend some time talking about the issue of border 
security, and it is important to our great Nation; but before I begin, 
I would like to take just a few moments of personal privilege and 
remember a friend that my community lost over the weekend.


                 Remembering SunTrust's Brian Williams

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, our community of Nashville, Tennessee, 
and the Nashville banking industry lost an entrepreneurial banker, 
Brian Williams, who was the Music Row banker for SunTrust Bank, and he 
was such an extraordinary, truly extraordinary, man. Certainly, we feel 
that we have lost a visionary in not only the banking industry but in 
the music business industry.
  Brian is one of those who really understood that the entertainment 
industry and the music industry is a business, and he approached it 
that way and he pioneered the music industry's banking division for 
SunTrust Bank.
  He is a man who I honestly believe in all my years of working on the 
intellectual property issue, whether as head of the Tennessee Film 
Entertainment Music Commission or as a member of the State Senate or 
now as a Member of Congress, he understood the ability of intellectual 
property to generate an income. He understood that intellectual 
property is private property, and he understood how royalty income 
could indeed work for our creative community.
  He is truly going to be deeply, deeply missed and to his wife, 
Marion, and his parents, our thoughts are with you all.
  Now, to our issue of immigration. Mr. Speaker, the question that we 
have before us is one that we are looking at as an issue of border 
security, and I feel that many times this issue becomes clouded as we 
try to talk about so many different components of border security and 
immigration and illegal entry into the country and employer 
verification. Sometimes looking at the great big pie, the great big pie 
of the border security/immigration issue, all rolled into one, becomes 
very, very difficult for many of us.
  We have started through a process of beginning to break it apart and 
take things one at a time and focus intently on this issue; and, 
indeed, it is an issue that we have had before us. As a former Member 
of the Judiciary Committee and the Immigration Subcommittee there, we 
have kept our focus on how do we make certain that we keep this Nation 
secure, how do we make certain that border security is addressed as 
national security, and how do we keep America safe, how do we make 
certain that we know who is coming in this country, how do we make 
certain that we know why they are coming and how do we make certain 
that we know the people who have come here have come for the right 
reasons, have come with the proper paperwork and do not overstay those 
visas and that paperwork.
  This is a question to look at. It is a discussion to engage in and it 
is an issue that I would hope every Member of this body, from both 
sides of the aisle, would participate in discussing and finding a 
solution.
  Of course, the House has passed a bill. We passed it last year. We 
sent it to the Senate. It has first and foremost a focus on securing 
this border. We know that this is a problem that the American people 
are frustrated with. They are frustrated with D.C. and I understand 
why. We are, too. Some of these issues you can absolutely talk to 
death. The American people are ready for action, and indeed, the House 
is the body that has been leading on that action.
  As we have watched illegal entry, the act of illegal entry, and that 
is our focus, as I said earlier, it is not immigration, our focus is on 
illegal entry, and addressing the act that is being committed as 
individuals, as weapons, as drugs all come into this country illegally, 
this is an enormous problem. It is not a secret. The American people 
know this, and that is why they have joined with the House in saying 
this needs to be handled.
  Mr. Speaker, lack of action on this issue over the past few years and 
lack of responsiveness by some who want to confuse it by making it a 
big comprehensive, difficult-to-get-your-arms-around issue has caused a 
couple of things to happen, but that is the way it is many times, in 
life, in politics, and certainly in this issue of security.
  The fact that action was not taken when the House first got ready to 
move forward and that we have seen thousands and hundreds of thousands 
of people illegally enter this country has caused every town to be a 
border town and every State to be a border State.
  When I was in the State senate in Tennessee, I started working on 
this issue, trying to make certain that those that illegally entered 
this country could not secure valid driver's licenses and then have 
carried that activity with me, coming here to Congress and again 
continuing to focus on this issue.
  As I said, every State is a border State, and we are hearing from 
States like my State of Tennessee and other States around the country. 
Border security is the number one issue. We have seen enormous 
populations of people who are not legally in the States gravitate to 
certain States for specific reasons, and Americans know that

[[Page H4937]]

there ought to be laws that are enforced. They know that there are laws 
on the books, and they cannot figure out why in the world, why in the 
world those laws are not being enforced, why are we choosing not to 
enforce those laws and defend those borders.
  Our constituents are right to ask those questions. We need to tackle 
the illegal entry problem. We need to do this one step at a time. We 
need to demonstrate in good faith to the American people that 
efficient, effective border security can be accomplished and we are 
ready to move forward on it. We encourage the other body and we 
encourage the American people to join with us on this issue and 
addressing this issue.
  At this time, I would like to yield to my colleague from Texas (Mr. 
Hensarling) for some of his thoughts and comments on this issue.
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, 
and I certainly appreciate her leadership of what I believe is perhaps 
the number one issue that is facing us today, and that is clearly 
winning this war against terrorism. There is no doubt in my mind, and I 
believe no doubt in the minds of most Americans, that border security 
is homeland security.
  Mr. Speaker, we ignore our borders at our own peril. Too often even 
today we do not know who is coming across our borders, we do not know 
what their purpose is, we do not know where they are going. And times 
have changed; times have changed since 9/11.
  There was a time in our Nation's history where the illegal entry 
problem was one of a trickle. Today, it is a flood. There were over 1.2 
million apprehensions of those who entered our country illegally last 
year, and those were just the ones that were apprehended. Again, we do 
not know who all these people are. We do not know what their purpose 
is. We ignore border security at our own peril.
  I live in Texas, Mr. Speaker, one of the border States. Mexico is a 
very important neighbor to us. We have had excellent relations with the 
country for many, many years; and there is no doubt that a number of 
those who enter our country illegally are simply people who are trying 
to feed their families; and I understand that, Mr. Speaker.

                              {time}  2000

  I have compassion for these people, but at the same time we must 
protect Americans. We must know who is coming across the border. And 
what we see, particularly when we talk to people on the front lines of 
this war, particularly our border sheriffs, we learn that the border is 
a very different place than it was 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years 
ago.
  Increasingly what we see is a very armed and dangerous group of those 
who enter this country illegally. Increasingly we are seeing AK-47s, 
rocket-propelled grenades associated with those in the drug traffic. 
And increasingly our border sheriffs are concerned about what contact 
and what connection the drug lords may have with the terrorists.
  We hear from our Border Patrol that attacks on agents are up. We have 
our border sheriffs in Texas tell us that they believe, they believe 
that some of the drug shipments across the border have come with 
military escorts. Increasingly we know that we are being infiltrated by 
the MS-13 gangs from Central America.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, we ignore border security at our own peril. And 
perhaps most importantly, I am not sure if all of the American people 
know this, but Iraqis have been captured trying to infiltrate our 
southern border. And we know, we know from the Department of Homeland 
Security, that al-Qaeda has made contact with human smugglers in 
Mexico.
  We ignore border security at our own peril. But besides being a 
threat to our homeland security, unbridled illegal entry into the U.S. 
is not just a threat to our border security, it is a threat to our 
economic security as well. Coming from Texas, Mr. Speaker, I can tell 
you that the taxpayers of Texas pay billions of dollars to educate the 
children of those who have entered illegally. That is just not fair, 
Mr. Speaker, it is just not fair.
  Hundreds of millions have been spent on health care. Now, again we do 
not want to deny essential emergency health care to anybody who walks 
into the room. But to have this serve as some kind of magnet for 
illegal entry is just wrong, and the cost associated with 
incarceration, again unchecked illegal entry into this country is a 
threat to our border security, it is a threat to our economic security.
  Additionally, Mr. Speaker, it is a threat to the rule of law, one of 
the foundations upon which this great Nation was built, a nation of 
laws, not of men. Is the first lesson we want to teach somebody who 
comes to this country that our laws are optional, that they are mere 
suggestions? Do we want to tell people that, well, because you managed 
to sneak across some border, you fooled us; here are your citizenship 
papers? I do not think so, Mr. Speaker. I do not believe that that is 
what we need.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, as important as this debate is, I agree with the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee that unfortunately, unfortunately, there are 
many in this country, there are many, many in this body that are trying 
to take a debate that should be about whether America has the will and 
the means to control its border and whether there is a right way and a 
wrong way to enter America, they are trying to twist that, they are 
trying to twist this into some kind of debate about ethnicity. They are 
trying to twist this into a debate about whether America is a nation of 
immigrants.
  I do not see anybody debating that proposition, Mr. Speaker. America 
is a nation of immigrants. It always has been; I believe it always will 
be. We would like to shine up the Statute of Liberty. We want to find 
room for people who want to work hard and who love freedom. But there 
is a right way and a wrong way to come to America.
  My friends and my neighbors come to the front door in the light of 
day and they knock on the door and they seek permission to come into my 
home. They do not sneak in the back door under the cover of night. 
There is a right way and a wrong way to come to America.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest privileges and honors I have 
had as a Member of Congress took place Saturday before last in Garland, 
Texas, in my congressional district. I spoke to a swearing-in ceremony 
of 95 new Americans. And it was one of the most awe-inspiring 
experiences I have had as a Member of Congress. And let me tell you a 
few things about these 95 new Americans I was able to welcome as new 
Americans into Garland, Texas.
  Number one, each and every one of them, Mr. Speaker, waited in line, 
3 years, 5 years, 7 years, 10 years, to come and achieve that great 
privilege of American citizenship. They followed the rules. They 
learned the English language, which is the language of opportunity and 
something that binds us together as a people.
  Mr. Speaker, besides that, they learned our history; they learned our 
culture. I would wager that a number of them could do better on an 
American history test than some of us, some of us in this august body 
here.
  And finally, Mr. Speaker, I do not know why, but as a Member of 
Congress, sometimes people actually want to have their picture taken 
with you. I am flattered and humbled that so many of these 95 new 
Americans wanted to have their photo taken with me.
  I met a young lady who was born in Laos, who is now an American. And 
I asked her, ``What is it that made you want to come to America?'' 
after she had her photo taken with me.
  It was a one-word answer, Mr. Speaker. We all know what that answer 
is. Freedom. Freedom. These were 95 new Americans who wanted to roll up 
their sleeves, they wanted to work hard, and they loved freedom. And we 
welcome them. We welcome them into our midst.
  And so, again, Mr. Speaker, we are not having a debate about who it 
is that makes the best Americans. We are not having a debate about 
taking down the Statute of Liberty as many would want you to believe. 
We are having a debate about, after 9/11, can we ignore our borders? 
And we are having a debate about whether or not there is a right way 
and a wrong way to come to America. That is what this debate is about, 
Mr. Speaker.
  It is one of the most important debates that is going to take place 
in this body, in this institution this year. And

[[Page H4938]]

so much is riding on it. Because I believe, as do so many of my 
constituents, that the number one threat to our Nation, and the number 
one threat to our families is terrorism. And essential to winning the 
war on terror is controlling our borders.
  And, with that, I will yield back to the gentlewoman.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. I thank the gentleman. He is so correct. An essential 
element in winning the war on terror is controlling our borders.
  And one of the things that we heard this weekend, this past week, on 
Tuesday as we took our first field hearing to San Diego, was, we heard 
how the Iraqis have been reaching into Central America and into Mexico, 
and how al-Qaeda is reaching in there and doing what is necessary for 
them to make these connections to be able to enter through this 
southern border.
  What a frightening thought that is to us. How very difficult it 
should be for them. But, unfortunately, it seems they are saying how 
very easy it can be. Mr. Speaker, think of that. Al-Qaeda and those 
that would seek to do us harm are choosing to see if they can come 
across our southern border, one more good reason why we should be 
certain that we secure that border.
  The gentleman from Texas also said something else I want to return 
to. We ignore this at our own peril. And we hear that repeatedly. We 
would ignore this at our own peril.
  And I mentioned the hearing that we held in San Diego. Chairman Royce 
did a terrific job chairing this hearing for the International 
Relations Committee, focused on terrorism and border security. And I 
commend our leadership, our Speaker and our leader for making certain 
that we, as a body, have the opportunity to go and listen and talk with 
the American people on this issue.
  And as we were at Imperial Beach outside of San Diego on that border, 
we heard from sheriffs, we heard from border agents, and we heard from 
those who have studied this issue closely, very closely over the past 
several years, just not weeks, not just months, but several years.
  And each and every one of them talked about the importance that is 
upon us for examining and moving forward with action in securing this 
border. And the gentleman from Texas is right. We ignore this at our 
own peril.
  He also mentioned with the State of Texas, the billions that are 
spent on education, the hundreds of millions that are spent on health 
care for those that have illegally entered this country. He also 
mentioned incarceration and the hundreds of millions of dollars that 
are spent in his State of Texas on incarceration.
  I asked the sheriff from Los Angeles County during the hearing in San 
Diego what they spent every year on incarceration, because 26 percent 
of their jail population are criminal aliens; 70 percent of those are 
repeat offenders. They are spending about $80 million a year, $80 
million of taxpayer dollars each year in Los Angeles County for 
incarceration of those who have committed offenses and are being held 
and detained as criminal aliens.
  Another point that the gentleman talked about was that our laws are 
not up for discussion. And one of my constituents over the weekend 
said, you know, U.S. citizenship is not a lottery, and it is not. And 
this comment came from a gentleman who is a veteran. And he grabbed me 
by the arm as we were out celebrating our freedom, celebrating 
Independence Day, and looked me straight in the eye. And he said, 
``Marsha, I fought for this country. I fought for this freedom. I 
fought for everyone to have this citizenship. Let me tell you right 
now, it is not a lottery.''
  Our laws are not up for discussion, and our citizenship is not a 
lottery; and we need to remember that. And I appreciated those comments 
from that gentleman.
  I had another constituent who said, ``You know, if you illegally 
enter my car, my bank account, my private information, my house, my 
business, my church, you are going to pay a penalty. You have committed 
a crime. Why in the world does that not apply to this great Nation?''
  Mr. Speaker, the American people understand that the issue at hand is 
border security and illegal entry. Many in this body and certainly our 
leadership concur with that. Legal immigrants, as the gentleman from 
Texas talked about the naturalization ceremony where he spoke, legal 
immigrants know that the laws on the books are for abiding. And they 
appreciate that and they honor it.
  And we want to be certain that those are kept as the rule of law, and 
this Nation remains a sovereign nation. As my friend, Alfredo, said, as 
I talked with him over the weekend, he said, ``You need to protect the 
American dream. I am here for the American dream.''
  He is here legally. He is looking forward to the day when he stands 
and raises his hand and takes that oath and becomes a U.S. citizen. And 
he too wants to have his very own personal story to tell about how he 
achieved the American dream.

                              {time}  2015

  And for Alfredo and his wife and thousands that come here every year 
legally to seek that dream, their message to us is: secure the border, 
and make legal entry a priority. Put your focus on illegal entry, and 
put a stop to that.
  You know, the message that we are continuing to get from our 
constituents is: stop the bleeding, secure the border, narrow your 
focus. And I hear that from State legislators back in my State of 
Tennessee. If we don't do that, we leave with them the issue of 
addressing the problems that are then passed to the States: driver's 
licenses, insurance issues, looking at educational and health care and 
law enforcement issues. They feel as if all of that is left for them to 
deal with. Our towns and our cities look at us and say: when it comes 
to law enforcement, we are the folks on the street. When it comes to 
who opens the hospital doors, that is us. When the school bell rings, 
we are the ones providing the service. And that is why they look at us 
and say: what your lack of action is doing is turning every single town 
into a border town and every single State into a border State.
  So they want us to get in here and complete our work on securing this 
border, to look at the options that are out there. As we heard from 
some of our Border Patrol agents, put our focus on intelligence-driven, 
threat-based mechanisms. Look at what it takes to integrate electronic 
surveillance, human surveillance, and physical barriers. And we heard 
from some of the sheriffs that, yes, indeed, physical barriers work, 
and they were happy to give us plenty of information about how it had 
driven down crime.
  The House has passed a bill; and if we need to pass one more, we can 
do that. We have to be certain that we demonstrate the results that are 
necessary for securing this border.
  At this time I would like to yield again to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. HENSARLING. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding again. And she 
used an interesting phrase earlier about securing our borders: stop the 
bleeding. It is a phrase I hear over and over and over from my 
constituents in the Fifth Congressional District of Texas. And, indeed, 
the House has now passed a border security bill that we believe would 
go a long way towards stopping the bleeding, and now finally the other 
body after many months has now acted.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that Americans recall their Civics 101, and they 
know that you pass a House bill, you pass a Senate bill, they have to 
come together in a conference and come up with just one bill. It gets 
passed by both of our respective bodies yet again before it is sent to 
the President. Mr. Speaker, we have had an opportunity now to take a 
look at that Senate bill; and, frankly, most of us believe that it is 
wrong-headed and would head America in a very bad direction.
  Number one, Mr. Speaker, we don't understand why, if there are 
contentious issues that are out there, and we agree there are many 
issues associated with illegal entry that are contentious, but if they 
are, can't we all come together, Democrat and Republican, after 9/11 
and say we have got to secure our borders? Can't we at least as a body 
agree on that and maybe work on some of these more contentious issues 
later?
  As we know, in the House bill what we do is, number one, we increase 
personnel on the border, at least immediately 1,000 additional agents, 
1,500 K-9 units. We erect literal walls and virtual walls on much of 
our border. We

[[Page H4939]]

increase the sanctions for employers who knowingly hire those who enter 
this country illegal.
  If you want to help stem the tide, you have got to deal with the 
magnets that are drawing people into the Nation illegally.
  We end this ridiculous program known as ``catch and release,'' which 
at least from my part of Texas catch and release is for fish; it is not 
for those who enter the country illegally. But what we have is a system 
where particularly those who are known as OTMs, those other than 
Mexicans, that are caught coming across the border, they are simply 
released until, Oh, why don't you show up, say, in 60 days and come to 
a hearing so we can decide whether or not to deport you. Well, we know 
how many will not show up for that certain deportation hearing. Our 
bill would end that catch and release program.
  Our bill does a lot, Mr. Speaker, to stop the bleeding. But if you 
look at what the Senate bill does, it takes a different direction. 
Number one, it provides amnesty for many of those who entered the 
country illegally.
  Mr. Speaker, we have been down this road before, about 20 years ago. 
It was one of those ideas that might have looked good on the 
blackboard, but guess what, it didn't work. It simply did not work. And 
now the Senate wants to offer amnesty to those who have been here for 5 
years if they will pay some back taxes and some kind of fee. They want 
to provide them an opportunity to cut in the line of citizenship when, 
as I said earlier, I just welcomed 95 new Americans into this country 
who played by the rules, who waited for those 5 and 7 and 10 years to 
get here. And we are going to say, No, you played by the rules, we are 
going to reward these people over here who didn't. What does that say 
about the rule of law, Mr. Speaker? I don't think much.
  Additionally, the Senate bill would provide benefits to those who 
come here illegally. It would provide Social Security benefits to those 
who have come to the country illegally.
  Mr. Speaker, I serve on the House Budget Committee, and I have seen 
the most recent report of the Medicare and Social Security trustees. 
Unfortunately, Social Security is due to go broke at least one year 
earlier than last predicted. Now, we know our seniors are okay; but for 
future generations like my children, Social Security as we know it 
won't be there for them. And, guess what, the Senate wants to start 
handing out benefits to those who came here illegally. Additionally, 
they want to hand out in-state tuition, in-state college tuition for 
those who come to our country illegally. Mr. Speaker, how are you ever 
going to stop illegal entry when you are actually strengthening the 
magnet that is drawing people here in the first place?
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. If the gentleman would yield?
  Mr. HENSARLING. I would be happy to yield to the gentlewoman.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. I want to participate in this discussion with you 
about the difference in these bills. And you are so right when you 
mention that our House bill would increase personnel on the border, put 
the K-9 units there, look at a virtual fence as well as a physical 
barrier, the electronic surveillance, and really tighten up that 
border. And one of the things we have said in the House repeatedly is, 
let us lay out an orderly process. Let us secure the border first; then 
let us move to the employer verifications which you mentioned. But let 
us secure that border first. Let us deal with the enforcement 
mechanisms.
  And I am so delighted that you mentioned catch and release. As I 
mentioned earlier, the sheriffs that we had, two from California, one 
from Texas that were at our hearing, said catch and release is a huge 
problem. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, one county alone, Los 
Angeles County, 26 percent of the jail population is criminal aliens. 
After I left that hearing and I was through out in my district in 
Tennessee and I would talk to sheriffs, I would say, What portion, what 
portion of your incarcerated population is those that entered the 
country illegally? I have not spoken with anyone who has less than 10 
percent. And the recidivism rate, as I mentioned the one sheriff who 
was before our committee talked in terms of upwards of 70 percent.

  And when I talk to our law enforcement personnel, it is always a high 
percentage that is in their jail not once, not twice, but many times. 
That criminal alien population, the recidivism rate is very high. And 
you are exactly right, that is a cost to our local communities.
  One of the concerns that we hear from when people talk about the 
Senate bill is they are concerned about wage protections, they are 
concerned about favorable treatment, they are concerned about a 
favorable way for those that entered the country illegally to pay their 
taxes or to access tuition or to receive Social Security benefits. And 
they look at us and they say, You know, this is not fair. This is not 
right. And there is great concern.
  And I think that that is one of the reasons that the American people 
return to looking at the House bill and saying, this is what we want to 
see: first, secure the border. Second, deal with that magnet. Look at 
the employer sanctions, then deal with the enforcement mechanisms. And 
then, once you have stabilized the situation, look at the visa 
programs, but only after the situation has been stabilized.
  I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. HENSARLING. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Again, I recall 
that there are at least a couple of other provisions of the legislation 
produced by the Senate that should be of interest to all of us as we 
look at two really different approaches to meeting the challenge of 
border security.
  Now, under our legislation, we would actually construct literal walls 
on certain portions of the border, which we know will be helpful. It 
doesn't solve the problem, but it is at least helpful in a multi-
faceted strategy to deal with illegal entry into the Nation, While in 
the Senate bill, in the Senate bill they would require us to consult 
with Mexico before we constructed a wall on U.S. territory. Mr. 
Speaker, is that not effectively yielding sovereignty to a foreign 
nation?
  Now, again, I respect Mexico. I have traveled extensively in Mexico. 
I have participated in U.S. interparliamentary council with legislators 
from south of the border. But to say that we must consult with a 
foreign nation before we take steps to secure our own borders and to 
secure the homeland? Mr. Speaker, that is just simply ridiculous. It is 
just simply ridiculous.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. As we talk about securing this border and the reason 
for it, and in the House bill we have stretches where there is a 
physical border and a fence that would be very difficult to penetrate, 
and there is a reason for that, Mr. Speaker. And the sheriff from 
Laredo, Texas, Sheriff Flores, was so articulate on this issue as we 
talked about the border there and spoke about the 18-wheelers, 6,000 to 
7,000, 18-wheelers a day coming through that exchange point and through 
that immigration point.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, one of the things that is of concern for us is how 
you check the cargo that is in here. And as I mentioned earlier in my 
comments: illegal entry, human trafficking, drugs, weapons. As we look 
at this 6,000 to 7,000 18-wheelers a day that are on the road, and 
couple that with trucks and vehicles that are coming across the 
unpatrolled areas and open land, what we have are vehicles that are 
driving drugs and meth and arms into this country. We don't know what 
all is coming in them. What we do know is that in my State of Tennessee 
we have a problem with meth and dirty meth. They know that it is made 
many times in Mexico. When they confiscate and interdict, when the 
interdiction units bring in marijuana and cocaine and meth, they can 
tell where it is coming from by how it is packaged, how it is being 
delivered. And we know for a fact that this is a problem.
  We have a county in west Tennessee that we worked closely with on 
this issue, and just a little under a year ago they put a meth 
interdiction unit on the road. Interestingly enough, nearly every time 
that unit goes out, nearly every time it goes out it is conducting an 
interdiction. And it is sad to see, but when you go in and look at that 
evidence room and look at the weapons and the drugs, and hear the 
stories of individuals that are being brought in, some of them against 
their will, it is not a story that is a happy story. It is a very sad 
story.

[[Page H4940]]

                              {time}  2030

  Our constituents are tired of this, and they want the borders secured 
so it will decrease that flow, decrease the opportunity for that flow 
of human trafficking and drugs and weapons.
  I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the gentlewoman alluded 
to our border sheriffs, those on the front lines who are trying to stem 
this war against drugs and terrorists, who could infiltrate our 
southern border, because they are very knowledgeable about what is 
happening on both our southern and northern borders.
  We were discussing differences between the House-passed bill which 
was supported by almost everyone on the Republican side of the aisle, 
versus the Senate bill, the Reid-Kennedy bill which most Republicans 
opposed. We talked about how the Reid-Kennedy bill grants amnesty to 
those who have broken our laws and how the Reid-Kennedy bill provides 
Social Security benefits and in-State college tuition to those who have 
entered this country illegally and broken our laws; and we talked about 
how the Reid-Kennedy bill will force us to consult with a foreign 
nation before we take steps to secure our southern border.
  But another aspect of the Reid-Kennedy bill that we did not discuss 
is what it does to our local border sheriffs. And under that bill, 
under that piece of legislation, local police departments and sheriffs 
could not, I repeat, could not, Mr. Speaker, apprehend those who are in 
this country illegally unless they were found to be arrested for some 
other crime. In other words, merely being in the country illegally, the 
Senate bill would strip them of any power to apprehend, arrest and turn 
those individuals over for deportation.
  Again, it is completely opposite of our House-passed bill that is 
trying to empower those on the front lines, to give them more resources 
and give them additional training to help and become partners with the 
Federal Government, with the Department of Homeland Security, with 
Border Patrol in trying to apprehend these people.
  We know in many ways the flood of illegal entrants has changed over 
the years. Again, I know that many people who come here are not bad 
people, and I am not attempting to vilify them. I am the father of two 
small children, a 4-year-old and a 2\1/2\-year-old. And I know if I was 
born poor in Latin America and I couldn't feed my children, I don't 
know what you would do to stop me from crossing this border.
  But because I have compassion for somebody does not mean that I want 
to hand them a check drawn upon the Federal taxpayer. Because I have 
compassion for someone does not mean I want to say, okay, we are going 
to let you cut in line and here are your U.S. citizen papers. No, Mr. 
Speaker, we have to secure the border.
  After 9/11, knowing the intentions of al Qaeda, we have got to secure 
our borders, regardless of the fact that many of these people are not 
bad people, and we understand what they are trying to do. But we have 
got to come up with a system, enough carrots and sticks, to where our 
Border Patrol are looking for tens of people trying to cross the border 
illegally instead of thousands of people trying to cross the border 
illegally every evening. Unless we put the enforcement provisions in 
the House bill in place, this simply will not happen.
  Again, I know there are contentious issues. There are contentious 
issues about children who are U.S. citizens whose parents may be 
illegal here. There are suggestions for a guest worker program; and I, 
for one, am very open to a guest worker program.
  But everybody says, let's stop the bleeding, let's control the 
border. Can't we at least agree on that? And let's seal our border to 
illegal entry, and then we can start dealing with the other facets of 
immigration, the other facets of a guest worker program, which I 
believe is part of our solution and not part of our problem. But it is 
all for naught unless we secure the border first.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, as you talk about focusing in on that 
issue of illegal entry and focusing in on border security and being 
certain that we deal with that first, first and foremost, handle this 
issue.
  I appreciate the comments that you said regarding amnesty and how 
opposed to amnesty I personally am and how opposed so many of my 
constituents are because they feel that is such a dishonor to those who 
are coming here legally.
  During my time at home, as we were holding town hall meetings and 
visiting with constituents, I have had constituents say, If you start 
passing out amnesty, then I want amnesty from the IRS. If you let those 
who have illegally entered this country choose to pay 3 years of 5 
years of back taxes, I want to pay 3 years out of the past 5 years. 
Those are questions that we are getting from our constituents, and they 
are right to be asking them.
  I had someone say they wanted amnesty from OSHA, a small business 
manufacturer, paying taxes and creating jobs and working hard. He said, 
They come into my plant, they stand there, they hold a meter; I want 
amnesty from that. I want amnesty from the EPA. So we are hearing this 
over and over.
  Mr. Speaker, what it really speaks to is the breakdown of the rule of 
law. Why? Our constituents are so right to ask that question. Why? Why 
in the world would a body pass a bill that would do that? Why would 
they encourage that? Why would they not honor the rule of law? Why 
would they not choose to deal with the crisis situation, which is 
illegal entry, and focus on that?
  That is the area where everyone agrees: Secure the border and secure 
it now. Secure it first. Put additional people on the border. Put 
additional resources on the border because border security is national 
security and a very important component of our national security.
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman is so right.
  Again, we have Iraqis who have been apprehended trying to infiltrate 
our southern border. We know there are contacts between al Qaeda and 
human smugglers in Mexico. We know what was once a trickle of illegal 
entry is now a flood of illegal entry. What was once mainly low-income, 
poor Mexicans is almost a United Nations of illegal entry coming from 
all parts of the globe and planet. We ignore border control at our own 
peril.

  Why, Mr. Speaker, would Senators Reid and Kennedy essentially say we 
are not willing to help you secure the border unless you grant amnesty 
to millions and millions of those who have come here illegal? And, oh, 
by the way, we want to present them with different welfare benefits and 
we want to give them Social Security. And, oh, by the way, we are not 
going to allow you to secure the United States border unless you go 
consult with foreign nations first.
  Mr. Speaker, I don't understand this. The American people don't 
understand this.
  Again, we must know that we are having a national debate about two 
and only two issues: Do we have the will to control our borders? And is 
there a right way and a wrong way to come to America?
  Mr. Speaker, I decry those who are trying to turn this into some kind 
of a debate about ethnicity and who makes the best Americans. Some of 
the best Americans I know were not born in America. And the reason they 
make some of the best Americans is because they have known something 
besides freedom and opportunity, and because of that, many times they 
treasure our birthright even more than those of us who were born in the 
United States of America.
  Mr. Speaker, this is not about taking the Statue of Liberty down; 
this is about protecting the Statue of Liberty. If we want to open wide 
the door of legal immigration, we have to shut down the door to illegal 
immigration. When we do, we will help secure our southern border, our 
northern border, and we will make the homeland more secure.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. I thank the gentleman from Texas for joining with us 
in this debate this evening and for continuing to talk with our 
colleagues and with the American people, because this is about illegal 
entry.
  The situation of illegal entry and immigration are two completely 
different debates. Those who are trying to blend them into one are 
doing a disservice. We have to move forward in addressing illegal 
entry, and we have to move forward in securing this border.

[[Page H4941]]

  Mr. Speaker, America is an incredibly welcoming Nation. It is a 
wonderful Nation that for years and centuries, we held our arms wide. 
We welcome those that choose to legally enter. We love the energy and 
vitality that they bring. We love their excitement. We love the way 
they bring an entrepreneurial spirit and they bring diversity and they 
bring to each of us a challenge, a very well-placed challenge, to work 
harder, to do better.
  And we love it when they succeed, and we celebrate it. We take the 
time to celebrate that success, every little success, with them. And 
when they receive that citizenship after years of hard work, we are 
standing there with them, celebrating with them.
  Some of them are in our families, some are in our extended families; 
and some of our close friends that we love like family have been 
through this process. And because of this, we stand with them in 
saying, Let's secure the border and end the practice of illegal entry 
into this Nation.
  Let's be certain that legal entry and legal immigration are 
recognized and rewarded and celebrated in the appropriate way, as they 
are meant to be. But let's roll up our sleeves and let's get to work 
securing the border, ending illegal entry into this country, ending the 
human trafficking, ending the flow of drugs, ending the flow of 
weapons.
  Let's be fair with our law enforcement officials and our Border 
Patrol agents that are on the border, who are tasked each and every day 
with keeping this border secure and, in turn, with being the first 
responders on the issue of border security. And let's be certain that 
we continue to put our focus right where it should be in realizing that 
border security and national security are one and the same.
  As I said, Mr. Speaker, it isn't about immigration, it is about 
illegal entry. It is also about the rule of law.
  There is a sense from the American people that we have lost control 
of these borders, and they are right. There is a sense that if we lose 
control of the borders, that then we are going to have more of the war 
on terror fought on American soil.
  Mr. Speaker, it is issue number one. Securing this border is the most 
important issue that faces this body today.
  I want to thank the House leadership for being so consistent in 
saying that this body will make border security the primary focus of 
our work. I want to thank our colleagues who are working on the field 
hearings and working to be certain that the message is communicated 
with our constituents and with our colleagues here on the Hill, that 
this House is ready to see borders secured and national security as our 
top priority.

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