[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6566]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     ARIZONA PROTECTS ITS CITIZENS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in a recent editorial praising 
Arizona for its action to enforce immigration laws, Investor's Business 
Daily said the following: ``There are 460,000 illegal immigrants in 
Arizona, a number that increases daily, placing an undue burden on the 
State's schools, hospitals, and law enforcement. Arizona has a window 
seat to an illegal invasion and on the escalating and violent drug war 
in Mexico that has put American lives and society at risk.
  ``President Obama calls Arizona's tough new law `irresponsible' and 
`misguided.' But it wouldn't be necessary if the Federal Government 
fulfilled its responsibilities to secure the border. We are a Nation of 
immigrants--legal immigrants--but we are also a Nation of laws that 70 
percent of Arizonans and most Americans want to see enforced. The first 
duty of the Federal Government is to protect the rights, property, and 
lives of U.S. citizens.''
  I couldn't agree more.

                          ____________________