Posted on 03/19/2006 10:35:37 AM PST by neverdem
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March 17, 2006, 1:16 a.m. Securing America’s Borders It’s a national-security issue.
America needs secure borders. Right now, we don't have them. Every day thousands of people violate our frontiers. We don't know their identities and, quite often, we can't stop them. As a nation of immigrants who honor the rule of law, we must secure our borders before we can reform our immigration policies.
That's why I introduced the Securing America's Borders Act Thursday night. The bill will take our first step towards a safer and more secure border. This new law will add resources to border protection; give our immigration-enforcement officials new legal tools; invest in barriers; and make it easier for employers ensure that they hire only citizens and legal residents. In short, it will make border security a key component of our national-security plans.
Enhanced border protection starts with additional people and equipment along our frontiers. While the Senate last year led an effort add new border-patrol agents to the President's budget, a single action can't solve a longstanding agent shortage. Over the next six years all told, my bill will add nearly 15,000 additional border protection professionals to augment the 20,000 Customs and Border Protection agents already on the job. To make sure that all CBP officers benefit from the best available technology, furthermore, my bill provides for new investments in aerial vehicles, cameras, and sensors. To give CBP's work purpose, it will also establish a tough, thoughtful, and comprehensive national border-security strategy.
So that DHS officials can catch those who violate our borders, my bill will also enhance collection of biometric data about border crossers while creating tough new penalties for human smugglers, people who forge border-crossing documents, and those who involve themselves in sham marriages. Finally, terrorists and members of dangerous gangs will face expedited removal from the United States.
Prevention also matters. We can nip security challenges at the bud and save lives if we prevent people from breaking our immigration laws in the first place. Each year, many people die trying to cross our border. I've already asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the deaths along the border but I don't believe we can wait for study results. Thus, my bill will also begin the process of building a 1,951-mile long virtual barrier across every inch of our border with Mexico. The new barrier will combine walls and fences in high-traffic areas with sensors to let CBP see and hear those who make a run for it in low traffic areas. Together, these measures should make the border safer and more secure.
Enforcing immigration laws with regard to those who enter the country, however, will only do so much to enhance our national security. Most of the people enter America illegally, after all, come here to work. Nearly everyone agrees that employers should have some responsibility for making sure their employees have legal clearance to take and keep their jobs. Right now, even the most well-intentioned employers lack a quick, efficient, foolproof way to verify the immigration status of the people they hire. Thus, my bill will expand an existing pilot program into a full-fledged electronic employer-verification database to help employers and workers alike.
While these proposals provide a good starting point, we still need to do more. Among other things, the full Senate will need to address ways we can balance security interests with our economy's labor needs and the role National Guard units might play in border enforcement. In the long term, our government needs to work on policies that encourage democracy and prosperity abroad which will also address our immigration crisis by reducing the number of people who feel that coming to the United States is their only option.
We are a nation of immigrants and that heritage remains strong in our hearts. Every immigration- and border-related policy the Senate approves must contribute to our country's security. Only a focus on security that emphasizes the rule of law will make our nation safer for all those who live here and who come here.
Bill Frist is the U.S. Senate Majority Leader.
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http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/frist200603170116.asp
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Have you ever noticed that VERY FEW of our representative and senators have their e-mails listed anywhere? I get a publication that has all of the information on Congress, even down to the listing of each person's religion and VERY FEW have their e-mails listed. Makes one wonder, doesn't it?
You are the one who doesn't know hwo things work.
I've been voting for 40 years but have notice people crossing the border for at least 60 years. Bush brought everyone of them here against the wishes of all the other Presidents and prevent congress from making and enforcing any laws. That Bush is one supernatural dude. Now he is running around in the darkness of night infecting people with diseases. No other thought is needed. Most freepers can reduce their vocaulary to one word!!!!! BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!, BUSH!!!!,
George Allen interview January 07, 2006
NCC: What are your views on illegal immigration?
This issue must finally be addressed - it is undermining our security and the rule of law. First and foremost, we must secure our borders. Finally, this is being done. We need more personnel and more detention centers. Catch and release doesn't work. We need to invest in technology, heat sensors and a virtual fence, unmanned drones that can patrol the border and use infra-red sensors to detect people crossing at night.
[Everything he says here is also said by the Bush Administration, this includes the "virtual" fence, whose only purpose is to provide an excuse for avoiding an effective physical barrier. At least Frist adds physical barrier to his "virtual" one.]
We should not reward illegal behavior through amnesty. This will only beget more criminal behavior.
[This is nearly identical to what Bush said in the 3rd 2004 Debate: "Now, it's very important for our citizens to also know that I don't believe we ought to have amnesty. I don't think we ought to reward illegal behavior."]
We must reform legal immigration. We need a guest worker program to fill the needs of employers. The guest workers must be checked out and have background checks, so we know they aren't terrorists or criminals. We also need to expand seasonal visas for people who come just to work and not to live here. We also need to make it easier for people who come here legally to become citizens.
[This is all present Bush Administration policy]
I see no difference between George Allen's positions, and the Bush Administration's disastrous border policy.
Your adoration of BUSH is amazing.
What is it that he can do and he refuses to.
No I don't have any overwhelming admiration of Bush but he is not responsible for everything. If you were president tomorrow what action would you take to stop immigration without breaking the Law? By the way most expect it to be done in a week.
If you were president tomorrow what action would you take to stop immigration without breaking the Law? By the way most expect it to be done in a week.
That list would be quite long, so Ill just point out a couple.
1. Punish Mexico for its blatant support of illegal immigration. This can be done by not issuing visa's to Mexico. His father did it to India during Gulf War 1. Works wonders.
2. Stop giving foreign aid to countries that support illegal immigration.
3. Increasing the number of officer enforcing Immigration Law; and not by 250. We lose twice that each year in retirement and attrition.
All can be done by executive order, without Congressional approval.
First off, no one is talking about stopping immigration. Let's call it by it's real name. Illegal Immigration.
1. Punish Mexico for its blatant support of illegal immigration. I would recall our ambassador and stop issuing visa's to Mexico.
2. Stop giving foreign aid to countries that support illegal immigration, starting with Mexico and it's southern neighbors.
3. Increasing the number of officer enforcing Immigration Law.
4. Order the AG to have CBP use "Expedited Removal" on all 20+ inadmissibility laws, not just 2.
I could go on and on.
I could care less who Mexico sells it's oil too.
BTW, the article is what Congress did, not Bush.
You must have some source of funds other than congress, they already refuse to fund the new border agents.
Order the AG to have CBP use "Expedited Removal" on all 20+ inadmissibility laws, not just 2. would be held up in the courts for years.
Punish Mexico for its blatant support of illegal immigration. I would recall our ambassador and stop issuing visa's to Mexico and Mexico would cut its oil impors to the US.
The primary reason we have illigal immigration on the Mexican border is that to a degree the border states look the other way and do not enforce their own state laws. Its good for business and votes.
Nope. ER's are not reviewable by the courts.
Easily replaceable.
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