[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1555-S1556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            BORDER SECURITY

  Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I address the Senate today to announce the 
organization of a new caucus: the Border Security and Enforcement First 
Caucus. I am very proud to be joined today by several Members in this 
endeavor; specifically, Senators DeMint, Sessions, Inhofe, Burr, Dole, 
Chambliss, Isakson, and Wicker. In the next few days, or in a week or 
so, we will have additional Members join, I am confident, based on a 
number of meetings and conversations I have had. So, again, I am happy 
to announce this important caucus to further the debate about a 
pressing national challenge. Our point of view and our focus is clear: 
border security and enforcement first.
  Why join this caucus? Why form this caucus? Well, clearly, this 
problem is a major challenge for the country. Right now, 1 in 25 U.S. 
residents is here illegally. It is staggering when you think about it: 
1 in 25, or 4 percent. The American people have voiced their enormous 
concern about this en masse, large-scale problem. They have also voiced 
their clear concern about some of the proposals put forward in 
Washington to allegedly solve the problem. One of those was shot down 
very clearly, very soundly last summer, and that is a solution that 
leads with a big, broad amnesty program.
  I believe this debate moved forward last summer because we defeated 
soundly on the Senate floor that approach because the American people 
were finally heard loudly and clearly. I believe the message was 
unmistakable, beyond debate: We don't want a big, broad amnesty; we do 
want enforcement first. We want enforcement first. This caucus will 
basically follow that lead of the American people and continue to push 
the viewpoint and specific, concrete legislation that puts enforcement 
first, both at the border and at the workplace, as the way to begin to 
solve this enormous illegal immigration challenge.
  So, first, our goal is simple: to push for border security and 
interior enforcement measures first, including workplace enforcement. 
That can be a main part of addressing this challenge and solving this 
problem. This caucus will be a platform to let Americans know that some 
in the Senate--a significant number--are continuing to make sure laws 
already on the books will be enforced and to push for stronger border 
security and interior enforcement legislation, and the funding, the 
mechanisms, and the systems we need in place to make that work. This 
caucus will act as a voice for those concerned citizens who have 
expressed that viewpoint--as I said, most clearly last July.
  Another big point this caucus will help make over and over is a 
simple message: attrition through enforcement. In this immigration 
debate, I believe it has been a stale debate dominated by a straw man. 
That is the false choice that either we have to grant a huge amnesty to 
folks in this country illegally or we have to turn around the next day 
and have the law enforcement and resources to arrest, as some people 
put it, 13 million people. That is the false choice that is so often 
harped on

[[Page S1556]]

and presented on the Senate floor. That is a false choice.
  There is a third way, and that is attrition through enforcement or 
whittling down in a significant way this 13 million plus figure to 
something much smaller, much more manageable, through real enforcement 
measures, not only at the border which, of course, is necessary to make 
sure the numbers don't go up and up, but in the interior, specifically 
at the workplace.
  According to a recent Zogby poll, when given the choice between mass 
deportations, mass amnesty, and the third way, attrition through 
enforcement, a majority of Americans clearly choose attrition through 
enforcement. Of course, most polls leave out that option. Most polls 
promote the false choice. Most debate, quite frankly, on the Senate 
floor promotes the false choice, but it is false. There is this real 
alternative.
  How do we get there? Two main ways: border security--the good news 
there is we have begun to make inroads, spending $3 billion on 
significant new border security in the last appropriations cycle, and 
that was positive follow-on to the defeat of the amnesty bill last 
summer. But there is also a second key ingredient, a second key 
ingredient that has been largely ignored and not addressed in this 
effort, and that is interior enforcement, particularly at the 
workplace.
  In my opinion, that is the missing link, the missing piece of the 
puzzle to make all of this begin to come together. Border security is 
crucial. We have done significant work there. We need to do much more. 
But interior enforcement and enforcement at the workplace is at least 
as crucial. We need to have a real system that works for that 
security--a real-time database, not a system based on paper documents 
which can so easily be forged--to ensure that companies only hire folks 
in this country legally. When we have that system in place, that will 
change the dynamics overnight. That will begin this process of 
attrition through enforcement. That will bring that 13 million plus 
number down significantly, if we truly have the political will to 
produce a system, a real-time database, a nonpaper system to ensure 
that employers only hire folks in this country who are here legally. If 
they do otherwise, then, of course, they should be hit with significant 
criminal penalties.
  So, again, I am proud to announce the organization of this new 
caucus: the Border Security and Enforcement First Caucus. My colleagues 
will be hearing a lot more from us in the coming days and months as we 
repeat the message delivered by the American people last summer so 
loudly, so clearly: We don't want amnesty. We do want enforcement 
first, including workplace enforcement, including interior enforcement 
that can lead to attrition through enforcement. Hopefully, we can begin 
to get our hands around this very crippling, potentially debilitating 
problem of illegal immigration.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Klobuchar). The Senator from Washington is 
recognized.
  Mrs. MURRAY. How much time is left?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is 14 minutes 16 seconds.

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