[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 160 (Thursday, October 5, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6362-S6363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FLAKE:
  S. 1937. A bill to authorize appropriations for border infrastructure 
construction, to provide conditional resident status to certain aliens, 
and to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to include grounds of 
inadmissibility and deportability for alien members of criminal gangs 
and cartels, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Border 
Security and Deferred Action Recipient Relief Act, which I am 
introducing.
  This bill offers solutions to the serious problems facing us with 
regard to border security, while at the same time addressing the needs 
for a legislative solution for those issues faced by the children who 
were brought here through no fault of their own.
  With respect to the border, this bill provides $1.6 billion in 
funding for border security measures that the President requested and 
the House has already approved in a bipartisan vote. As an Arizonan, I 
am more than familiar with the steps we need to take to increase border 
security. We have a better situation on the border than we have had in 
a while, but there are still measures that need to be taken.
  In addition to the appropriate barriers that will aid in preventing 
illegal crossings, we need access roads that actually get to the 
border. If there is one issue I hear from property owners, ranchers, 
Border Patrol agents, and others near the border, it is that they need 
better access. We have had an issue with regard to roads that are used 
by the Border Control that are paid for by the county. It is a 
situation that needs to be resolved, and it will benefit all of us who 
travel near the border. This bill addresses that. The road issue was 
also raised by the GAO. I requested a study on behalf of my 
constituents,

[[Page S6363]]

along with my colleagues, to see what we could do with the roads and 
access situation. GAO came back with recommendations, and this would 
implement some of the recommendations.
  The bill also aids law enforcement by ensuring the swift deportation 
of individuals determined to be members of violent gangs and drug 
cartels.
  I would also like to thank Congresswoman Barbara Comstock for her 
leadership on this issue by sponsoring the Criminal Alien Gang Member 
Removal Act, which passed the House.
  With respect to the children brought here through no fault of their 
own, this bill takes a measure that has already earned bipartisan 
support in the House of Representatives, the Recognizing America's 
Children Act, which provides a solution for the DACA kids. These young 
immigrants were brought here as children and simply know no other 
country. For all intents and purposes, these young people consider 
themselves Americans. If we can protect these DACA recipients and 
provide solutions to better secure our borders at the same time, that 
is a win-win.
  The President and Congress both want to improve border security. We 
both want to respond to the threat of dangerous gangs and drug cartels. 
We both want to arrive at a legislative solution for the rescission of 
the DACA Program that benefits those who want to contribute to their 
communities and to the American dream. This bill is the best way to 
thread the needle and deliver what the President has asked for, what 
the Congress wants, and what my constituents in Arizona deserve. These 
issues are far too important for us to delay.
  To be clear, I will work with anyone to support any number of 
proposals that accomplish these goals, but I believe that the 
straightforward approach of the Border Security and Deferred Action 
Recipient Relief Act, which I am introducing today, is the best chance 
we have to put this bill on the President's desk.
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