[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6206]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                THE CITIZENS SPEAK OUT ON ILLEGAL ENTRY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, this House must have the will to secure our 
borders from unlawful, illegal entry into this sovereign Nation by 
other nations. Many of my fellow Texans have written me about this 
problem, and I am going to read a few of those tonight.
  David in Splendora, Texas, writes: ``I totally disagree with the 
guest worker program. If the government allows an amnesty program for 
the illegals, then every person crossing the border would qualify. 
Also, the borders need to be more secure. I work with immigrants here 
in Houston, and it amazes he how they can go back and forth to Mexico. 
The immigrants who have their family in other countries are sending 
their money there, and they do not even spend it here anyway.''
  Tim, in Groves, Texas, writes: ``Vicente Fox and Mexico are not our 
friends. The Mexicans are laughing at their neighbors to the north 
while their illegal countrymen clog our streets and harass U.S. 
citizens with marches and demonstrations. Why aren't they demonstrating 
in Mexico for jobs and better pay? That is the source of their 
problems. Our legislators are afraid of enacting tough laws on these 
people while American citizens pick up the tab.''
  Donald, in Nederland, Texas, agrees and writes: ``When did Vicente 
Fox become head of American immigration policy? Fox has no business 
telling the United States what to do with its citizens who illegally 
enter the United States. We can't control Mexico's immigration laws, 
and all attempts to handle the illegal entry of millions of Mexicans 
into the United States have fallen on deaf ears. They came to America 
to work in many fields hired by business interests, and when their 
visas expired, they didn't return home as required by law. Businesses 
then allow them to continue working at salaries below those needed by 
American workers who they replaced.''

                              {time}  1915

  ``Employers who hire illegal foreign workers should be required to 
make sure their employees leave the country when their visas expire or 
be fined and pay the government's expense for returning them to their 
home country when they are caught. Amnesty by any other name, guest 
worker, is still amnesty; get illegals out of America.''
  Michael in Crosby, Texas, writes, ``Sir, I implore you to be as tough 
as necessary to halt this wave of illegal immigration, and to seal up 
our borders. It honestly worries me about the reports on C-SPAN of the 
border incursions by Mexican military personnel, and the possibility of 
smuggling a weapon of mass destruction into our country via the border 
with Mexico.''
  Randy in LaPorte, Texas, writes, ``I am an American and my wife is a 
legal alien. We have worked for many years to get citizenship for her 
and it is hard and expensive and takes a long time. It makes me see 
sick to see the Mexican flag in our streets and demanding rights from 
the U.S. Some in our government talk of a path for citizenship for 
them, and this makes me just sick. I hope you can pass immigration laws 
that will protect Americans and not protect illegal aliens.''
  Ernest in Dayton, Texas, writes, ``As I watch the demonstrations by 
the illegal immigrants, I am appalled by the fact that they are 
carrying a Mexican flag and not the American flag. This myth that no 
one will work the jobs that illegals work is exactly that, it's a myth. 
Congress can be blamed for taking the jobs away from qualified 16- and 
17-year-olds. I went to work at a butcher shop at 12 years of age and I 
have worked ever since. Guest worker program, my hind leg. It is 
nothing more than an amnesty program. The politicians in this country 
created the situation. It is important they get off their high horse 
and do the work of the United States and not special interest groups.''
  He goes further to point out, Madam Speaker, ``You need to come to 
the Exxon station on highway 90 in Liberty, Texas, and bring the INS 
with you and see how many illegals you can round up at that one 
location.''
  Finally, Madam Speaker, Jean in Kingwood, Texas, writes, ``I felt 
compelled to write today after days of hearing about the Mexican 
protests and the Mexican flag waving going on in our country. First, 
let me say for a very long time I felt immigration has been out of 
control but that the politicians in America consider it a way to gain 
votes and will not touch the issue. I am outraged that we are in such a 
state as we are now.
  ``Recently, I had to take a job in order to supply health insurance 
for my family because my husband lost his job. Then it wasn't long 
after that that I had to go to the emergency room. I went to the 
emergency room at 4:45 p.m. and didn't leave until 5:01 a.m. the next 
day. I cannot tell you the number of immigrants with three or more 
children in that waiting room. I wondered if any of them actually had 
health care insurance, and how much free health insurance they received 
on their visit. Here I am working so I can supply health insurance to 
my family, yet the illegals and those that have no health insurance 
walk in and obtain free health care.
  ``Everyone in America knows the stats on this and the stress being 
placed on our system because of those that are able to obtain free 
health care just by walking into the emergency room.''
  Madam Speaker, this House had better listen to the American citizens, 
and we need to be more concerned about what they think than those who 
have illegally invaded and colonized our Nation think.
  Madam Speaker, that's just the way it is.

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