Notes From the Senate Desk

Because as many as 10,000 illegal aliens cross the U.S. border every day, we should start with border security. It is hypocritical for the United States of America to preach to the world about the rule of law yet thumb our nose at the 12 million people who are living here illegally. It is hypocritical, and it is dangerous to our security not to control our own borders.

Then, once we secure the border and can uphold our limits on immigration, we should get quickly back to the American tradition of creating a legal status for those who temporarily work and study in the United States and who, by doing so, enrich our diversity, spur our economy and help export American values to the rest of the world.

Finally, my goal during the debate is to make sure that we don’t stop there, that we don’t overlook, as Paul Harvey might say, the rest of the immigration story—that is, helping prospective citizens who are legally here become Americans. That is why I have introduced the Strengthening American Citizenship Act amendment to the immigration reform bill.

My amendment, cosponsored by Senators Cornyn (R-TX), Frist (R-TN), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Cochran (R-MS), Isakson (R-GA) and Santorum (R-PA), encourages legal immigrants who are prospective citizens to become American by learning English, American history and our way of government by:

providing them with $500 grants for English courses; allowing those who become fluent in English to apply for citizenship one year early (that is, after four years instead of five); providing grants to organizations to offer courses in American history and civics; authorizing a new foundation to assist in these efforts; codifying the Oath of Allegiance which new citizens swear when they are naturalized; asking the Homeland Security Department to carry out a strategy to highlight the ceremonies in which immigrants become American citizens; and establishing an award to recognize the contributions of outstanding new American citizens. Americans enjoy more rights than the citizens of any nation on the face of the earth, and our founders recognized, as every citizen and prospective citizen must, that along with those rights come responsibilities. The new citizen, like those who came before, must appreciate this simple but fundamental truth: in a free society, freedom and responsibility go hand in hand.

To become an American is a significant accomplishment. First, you must live in the United States as a legal permanent resident for five years. Next you must speak English. Next you must learn about our history and government. Next you must swear an oath and renounce the government of the country from which you came—and then swear allegiance to the United States of America. This oath dates back to May 12, 1778, when General George Washington and his general officers at Valley Forge signed an oath very similar to the one that more than 500,000 new American citizens took last year in hundreds of naturalization ceremonies all over America.

Becoming an American is also a unique accomplishment because it has nothing to do with ancestry. America is an idea, not a race. We are united by principles expressed in our founding documents, not by our multiple ancestries.

Some have suggested that diversity is what makes our country great. To be sure, diversity is one of our great strengths, but diversity is not our greatest strength. Jerusalem is diverse. The Balkans are diverse. Iraq is diverse. The greatest accomplishment of the United States of America is that we have molded that magnificent diversity into one nation, based upon a set of common principles, language, and traditions. That is why our national motto, which is carved in stone above the presiding officer’s desk in the Senate chamber, is E Pluribus Unum, one from many – not “many from one.”

During the immigration debate, we should enact legislation to secure our borders – three million illegal border crossings each year is totally unacceptable. Then we should create a legal status for the workers and students we welcome here temporarily to increase our standard of living and to export our values. But we should not complete work on a comprehensive immigration law without remembering why we have made E Pluribus Unum our national motto. We are proud of where we come from, but prouder of where we are. We are Americans. That is the most important subject for an immigration debate, and this bill will not be complete without it. It is more important today than ever to help prospective citizens become Americans.

Earlier in March I visited the border between Arizona and Mexico and actually drove about 90 miles taking it all in.

I wanted to see the situation for myself so I spent some of my vacation time checking out the territory.Arizona FReepers advised me to not miss Bisbee and once there I realized I was on the border.

Bad weather prevented the up close trip on a dirt road between the Coranado monument and Nogales but I was able to travel a parallel road 5 or six miles to the north.

I observed the territory from about 16 miles east of Douglas to Nogales. For most of the way Mexoco was always in view but the precise location of the border could not be discerned. My conclusion was that in the highly visable landscape a wall would be a waste. Long vistas are possible and people can be easily seen illegally crossing the border. The minute men are right. Strategically placed observation posts should be able to spot most trying to come across.

East of Douglas the border is flat. The road is close to the border. There is lots of Border Patrol Activity. i wittnessed two BP SUV's at a burning Camero. I guess they were waiting on a fire unit or maybe just watching it burn. There were no illegals. I wittnessed two SUV's with presumedly captured illegals in the back. Near the cut off to the Slaughter Ranch I crossed a wash. On the south side of the bridge there were lots of foot prints. On the northside there were the tracks of a vehicle that had turned around. Actually there were several such tracks. The wash ran right down to Mexico about a mile away and was obviously a conduit. There was not a lot of trash I expected to see.

I checked out the border east of Naco just south of Bisbee. I think this is where the Minutemen were last year. I saw nothing resembling Minutemen but believe they may have resumed the activity this week. It too has long vistas and observation posts could easily pick up movement across the desert.

The trip from the Coranado National monument westward to Nogales was pretty exciting. The long awaited rain and wind arrived. It had not rained in Arizona for 136 days so there was excitement at the prospect. Although it did not actually rain much there as promised, we chose not to take the 45 miles of dirt road and the potential washed out water hazards opting for a parallel road to the north.

We were dogged by a BP van as we climed the mountain from the park. We stopped at the top to let it pass and to view the spectacular landscape to the west. It is wild and rugged but you can see forever. Once again, a wall or fence seemed impractical, the visibility is too good.

We finally caught up with the BP van. There were two others and a BP SUV or two alnon with maybe 20 illegals. Some were in the vans and some were sitting on the ground. There were a bunch of BP officers as well. They checked us out closely......might have been the transport for the illegals. We could not have taken many in our Nissen Xtera. We did pass a Hippy green VW bus on the mountain and presume it was aborted transport for the captured illegals. The presence of any vehicles on the remote road was noteworthy.

There are two common BP vehicles. White Suv's will accommodate 4 or 5 captured illegals. For more than that the BP uses 15 passenger vans. Both are seen pretty often is Southern Arizona.

We stopped for gas and ests in Sonoita Arizona. There was visably large BP activity there. As we left town we could see why. There was a big BP base there. The fence containing at least 50 of the various BP vehicles had a "Help Wanted" sign.

If you are looking for work, they're hiring at the Border Patrol in Sonita AZ.

We headed into the populated area around Nogales and ceased our observations. Suddenly as we climbed a hill there were 5 or six people running across the road right in front of us. Looking to the side there were many others. I would guess 15 or so, all running up a draw between the hills. All were carrying gallon jugs and some had plastic bags. The survey ended with a spectacular array of illegals. I said they were running but one heavy and tired woman was waddeling up the trail obviously distressed. They were in trouble because the bad weather did actually come and they were not prepared..

The first is border security, the second is dealing with the people who are here."

You mean, like our own senators??? :-)

example: "allowing those who become fluent in English to apply for citizenship one year early (that is, after four years instead of five)"

Er, why isnt fluency of English a requirement for citizenship PERIOD? And end the need for multi-lingual ballots while we are at it.
Lamar's ideas sound a tad welfareish to me. A bunch of grants to help them do what we should REQUIRE anyway.

"To become an American is a significant accomplishment. First, you must live in the United States as a legal permanent resident for five years. Next you must speak English. Next you must learn about our history and government. Next you must swear an oath and renounce the government of the country from which you came—and then swear allegiance to the United States of America. This oath dates back to May 12, 1778, when General George Washington and his general officers at Valley Forge signed an oath very similar to the one that more than 500,000 new American citizens took last year in hundreds of naturalization ceremonies all over America."

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