[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19828-19829]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          ARIZONA VS. THE FEDS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Poe) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government is at war with 
the States over illegal entry. There is a real problem in this country: 
millions of people are living here illegally, and more illegally cross 
into America every day.
  Schools, hospitals, and the justice system are burdened with the cost 
of supporting illegals, who do not contribute to our system. They reap 
the benefits and services off the backs of American citizens and legal 
immigrants. Twenty-seven percent of the people in U.S. prisons are 
illegals. In the border counties in Texas, according to the border 
sheriffs, over 30 percent of the people in those jails are foreign 
nationals.
  All of this costs money. The safety of our citizens is also at risk, 
but the Federal Government chooses not to adequately enforce the law. 
The Federal Government is focused more on finding reasons why the law 
of the land should not be enforced. Case in point: the 20-point memo 
released this summer by ICE listed the criteria for illegal migrants 
who have been detained but should not be deported. In other words, let 
them go.
  As a result of Washington's inaction, several States have been 
burdened with the costs of illegal entry, from health care to 
incarceration costs. Arizona, South Carolina, Utah, Georgia, and 
Indiana have been forced to do the job the Federal Government just 
won't do--protect the citizens from the costs of unlawful entry into 
America.
  Arizona implemented a law that requires authorities to check the 
immigration status of anyone who is already legally detained for some 
offense and when there is a ``reasonable suspicion'' the person is in 
the country illegally. But the administration says not so fast, that 
immigration enforcement is their job.
  They just refuse to do it.
  It also seems the government is more interested in smuggling guns to 
Mexico under the botched Operation Fast and Furious than it is in 
preventing the smuggling of people and drugs into the United States. 
Now the Department of Justice has gone into the business of using 
taxpayer dollars to actually sue States for doing the job the Federal 
Government won't do. Yesterday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the 
case of Arizona v. The United States. Governor Brewer of Arizona has 
said, ``Arizona and its people suffer from a serious problem without 
any realistic tools for addressing it.''

[[Page 19829]]

  The Federal Government leaves States with no other choice than to do 
the job the Federal Government refuses to do. If Arizona is not allowed 
to enforce immigration laws and if the Federal Government does not 
enforce immigration laws, then Arizona and other States will continue 
on a dangerous path to becoming lawless territories with rampant 
illegal entry. Ignoring laws and open-door policies will only entice 
more people to come to this country illegally instead of using the 
front door.
  Now, I fully support legal entry into America, and my staff spends a 
lot of time helping people come to the United States legally. The 
immigration model we have is a mess, and it needs to be streamlined and 
more efficient; but people should come here the right way or not come 
at all. After all, it is the law.
  But the defiant Attorney General has made it clear that he will 
continue his crusade against the States that try to crack down on 
illegal entry. Why? Because the States want to uphold the law. 
Meanwhile, sanctuary cities get a pass from the Federal Government for 
ignoring the law.
  We hear the rhetoric that illegals are here to do the jobs Americans 
won't do. Now State after State is getting sued for doing a job the 
American Government won't do--protecting the security of the Nation and 
enforcing the law. Arizona had to enact this law to protect itself 
because the Federal Government doesn't adequately secure the border.
  It is time for Washington to stop its war on the States and to join 
with the States in enforcing the law of the land. Hopefully, the 
Supreme Court will rule the Arizona law to be constitutional.
  And that's just the way it is.

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