[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 124 (Thursday, September 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4830, BORDER TUNNEL PREVENTION ACT 
 OF 2006; FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6094, COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT OF 
 2006; AND FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6095, IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT 
                              ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 21, 2006

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, our Nation desperately needs comprehensive 
immigration reform, but the Republican majority is more interested in 
playing politics with this issue than working towards a true solution.
  We need to make sure that we have control of our borders. That is why 
I support H.R. 4830, the Border Tunnel Prevention Act, and why I have 
previously supported other efforts to secure our border including the 
expansion of physical barriers and fencing in key areas.
  H.R. 4830 supports the sound policy of amending the federal criminal 
code to prohibit the construction or financing of an unauthorized 
tunnel under our border and we are right to ensure strict penalties for 
anyone who does this.
  However, if the Republican leadership was truly serious about 
securing our borders and preventing the entry of undocumented 
immigrants, they would fully fund the additional 10,000 border agents 
that we authorized when we passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism 
Prevention Act, Public Law 108-458, last year. The addition of these 
agents, which had broad bipartisan support, was a provision that would 
have a direct impact on securing both our Southern and Northern borders 
and had broad bipartisan support. However, when it comes time to fund 
these additional agents, Congress consistently comes up short.
  There are two other provisions that we are considering that I do not 
support--H.R. 6094, the so-called Community Protection Act and H.R. 
6095, the so-called Immigration Law Enforcement Act.
  I oppose H.R. 6094, the so-called Community Protection Act, because 
it would overturn two Supreme Court decisions that currently prevent 
unlawful indefinite detention of non-citizens. If passed, it would 
permit the indefinite and perhaps permanent detention of non-citizens 
who cannot be deported due to no fault of their own.
  The severe curtailment of Due Process in this provision will lead to 
erroneous removal of people who should not have been deported, such as 
U.S. citizens who could not quickly provide proof of their U.S. 
citizenship, or an abused spouse or child who could not quickly show 
their eligibility for relief under VAWA or someone who was not in fact 
inadmissible due to a criminal ground of inadmissibility but could not 
timely hire a lawyer who knew the complex case law that governed his or 
her admissibility.
  I oppose H.R. 6095, the so-called Immigration Law Enforcement Act, 
which would harm the relationship between the police and immigrants and 
citizens. It will obstruct police in their mission of keeping our 
streets safe. Essentially the bill is asking the State and local police 
to pick up the slack for the Federal Government.

  That is why it is opposed by scores of professional law enforcement 
associations including the International Association of Chiefs of 
Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Major 
Cities Chiefs Association. They know this is a bad idea and I urge my 
colleagues to join them in opposition to this bill.
  Finally, I want to reiterate my support for comprehensive immigration 
reform. Not only do these bills fail to adequately address that need, 
but they could actually make our system more dysfunctional. These bills 
do not significantly enhance border security or address undocumented 
immigration; rather, they would limit the basic rights and protections 
this nation were founded upon.
  Mr. Speaker, unfortunately the Republican majority is more interested 
in looking like they are doing something, than actually solving the 
problem. The American people know better and they know political 
maneuvering and inaction when they see it.

                          ____________________