Posted on 01/28/2013 2:34:37 PM PST by mdittmar
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today delivered the following statement on the bipartisan framework for comprehensive immigration reform released today with Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ):
“The introduction of these principles is the first step in what will be a very difficult, but achievable, reform to our immigration system.
“No one here needs reminding that the last major attempt at immigration reform was over six years ago. Now we will again attempt to commit the remaining resources needed to secure the border, modernize and streamline our current immigration system, and create a tough but fair path to citizenship for those here illegally.
“I am the first to admit that the security situation along the southwest border is not perfect. There remain several areas, particularly in Arizona, where people’s homes are being invaded, where drug smugglers are crossing property every night. These citizens deserve the same level of security that all of us standing here have. But there is no question there has been a significant reduction in illegal crossings over the past five years. Apprehensions of illegal immigrants by the Border Patrol have dropped 70 percent from 2005 to 2012 – from 1,189,075 down to 340,252. But as we all acknowledge, the work is not yet complete.
“Greater focus needs to be paid to drug traffickers and criminals that cross the border. Arizona continues to be a major smuggling corridor and distribution hub for drug trafficking organizations. According to the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, 36 percent of marijuana seizures along the Southwest border happen in Arizona. Often, scouts and spotters employed by drug cartels are used to assist backpackers hauling drugs through the Western Desert.
“To combat this, we need to continue to invest in UAVs, radar, and other proven surveillance systems that will give Border Patrol the ability to detect and apprehend all illegal entries into the United States. This is achievable and can be completed within the next few years if we truly commit to it.
“After the border is secure, the next most important step to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of 1986 immigration reform is to build out a nation-wide electronic employment verification system that will end the hiring of future unauthorized workers. Coupled with increased fines on employers that knowingly hire illegal workers, I believe we will be able to effectively shut off the magnet that attracts illegal workers to the U.S.
“Just as critical, we will put in place a legal worker program to provide a humane and effective system that allows immigrant workers to enter the country without seeking the aid of human traffickers or drug cartels. Any immigration legislation that passes Congress must establish practical legal channels for workers to enter the United States – whether they are high skill, low skill, or agriculture workers, so we can free up federal officials to focus on those individuals truly intending to do our nation harm through drug smuggling, people trafficking and possibly terrorism.
“Providing an expedited path to citizenship for DREAMers, developing a measurement to determine when the border is truly secure, reforming our future immigration system to better meet the needs of our employers, ensuring an entry-exit system to combat visa overstays, and creating a program that makes certain U.S. agriculture has the necessary workers to maintain America’s food supply, are just some of the issues that we have committed to addressing – and solving – in a bipartisan manner.
“And, finally, we come to the most controversial piece of immigration reform. That is how to deal with the approximately 11 million people living in the United States outside of legal status.
“What is going on now is not acceptable. In reality, what has been created is a defacto-amnesty. We, the American people, have been too content for too long to allow individuals to mow our lawn, serve us food, clean our homes and even watch our children while not affording them any of the benefits that make our country so great.
“I think everyone here agrees that it is not beneficial for our country to have these people here hidden in the shadows. Let’s create a system to bring them forward, allow them to settle their debt to society and fulfill the necessary requirements to become law abiding citizens of this country. This is consistent with our countries tradition of being a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”
This is suicide.
Go away John and take your blow up doll of a wife with you. And your stupid daughter.
McCain takes a break from supporting al Qaeda in Libya
with Obama, to helping Obama bring in illegals by the millions as the two work to DECREASE protections
along the southern border with Mexico.
Inquiring minds want to know: Whose side is McCain on?
You don’t stop criminal behavior by voting for criminal behavior, and voting for amnesty for illegal immigrants is voting for criminal behavior!
He needs to just go away. but the fashion now is to die in office.
Pure treason.
We’re screwed once again by our own - it’s time to dissolve the government and start over again. This is suicide by legislation.
Even if you want reform, this is geoproximity racism at it’s worst. Why don’t we set proportional numbers for immediate immigration to the US based on what our southern neighbors have already received. I worked out some quick numbers and it turns out to be just a little above 350 million people.
I am sure my family and friends from Eastern Europe, or the rest of the world, would love to have the availability of US citizenship if we just shipped them to Mexico and told them one quick swim and you are home free!!!!!!!
CONFIRMED: Feds Ordered Not to Arrest Illegals Coming From Mexico
“ “To combat this, we need to continue to invest in UAVs, radar, and other proven surveillance systems that will give Border Patrol the ability to detect and apprehend all illegal entries into the United States. This is achievable and can be completed within the next few years if we truly commit to it.”
How about 7000 more border patrol agents? I know where they can get the assault rifles.
These people are disloyal Americans, ie traitors.
If ‘securing the border’ is so vital for this new attempt, why has it been ignored for years?
The border COULD be secured under EXISTING legislation.
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It wasn’t done then. Why should WE believe that politicians would do it under new legislation?
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Same ole canard from the same old politicians — and a few new recruits like Marco ‘McCain’ Rubio.
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GW Bush tried 3 times to get amnesty through.
The first attempt in 2001 was thwarted by the 9-11 attacks. They tried to get it through in 2002, but Senator Byrd (D) stopped it on a technicality.
In his 2nd term, Bush tried two more times — one before the 2006 election when he had majorities in both Chambers and one after when he thought he would have better luck with the new Dem majority. Both attempts failed because Washington was flooded with emails, faxes, letters, and phone calls in opposition to amnesty for illegals.
I smell another push coming for formation of the North American Union.
Neither Mexico nor Canada have the Right to Bear Arms in their national constitutions. Perhaps that is why we’re seeing so much pressure from the Administration about the 2nd Amendment. The populations of Canada and Mexico, as far as I can make it out, are not enthusiastic about such a political and economic joining at the hip with us.
“The North American Union (NAU) is a theoretical economic and political union of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The concept is loosely based on the European Union, occasionally including a common currency called the Amero or the North American Dollar.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Union
johnthebaptistmoore ~:” You don’t stop criminal behavior by voting for criminal behavior, and voting for amnesty for illegal immigrants is voting for criminal behavior! “
We already danced to this tune back in the Reagan era
We danced to this tune about 4 years ago ... and we’re still dancing ?
The way to resolve this issue is through careful , thoughtful deliberation ,
and NOT by another “Ram, Bam, ..Thank you Ma’m “
hurried legislative action .
Chances are we will be dancing again in another few years.
Another “SGO” : ‘Schumer going on’ ,..
another crap compromise of core values !
Of course a deteriorating economy for the last 5 years would have nothing to do with decreasing numbers......nah.
Another thing they forget is that these illegals watch the extremely left-wing Telemundo and the other one -— Uber Vision(sc) almost exclusively.
I don’t think there is even a resonably neutral Spanish-language TV. They are over-the-top leftist and for the illegals they are the only television there is.
You bet they’re going to be Democratic voters. They are a captive audience Stalin could only have dreamed of because there are no elements who even want to hear anything else.
What makes him think those here illegally want a path to citizenship? Many of them are here to "reconquer" Aztlan for May-hee-co.
“To combat this, we need to continue to invest in UAVs, radar, and other proven surveillance systems ...
Didn't The Won just shut-down a lot of these?
... it is not beneficial for our country to have these people here hidden in the shadows.
You call this "hidden in the shadows"?
Thanks for this picture. I recall their marching with the stated purpose of causing economic harm.
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