They all say this.
The only possible answer is, "Why? Why do we need legislative reform? What's wrong with the current US Code, as amended? Why not simply enforce the laws you have already passed?"
CONTACT: Brian Walsh, (202) 224-0704
John Drogin, (202) 224-0703
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 17, 2007
CORNYN STATEMENT ON IMMIGRATION REFORM ANNOUNCEMENT
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the following statement today regarding the announcement by Senator Kennedy and others that an agreement has been reached on comprehensive immigration reform legislation:
While I appreciate the hard work by my colleagues as we spent countless hours negotiating this very difficult issue, I have serious concerns with the principles outlined in today¹s announcement.
I simply cannot, and will not, support any legislation that repeats the mistakes of the 1986 amnesty. So we have to make a basic determination: Will this bill restore respect for our laws? Or will it have the opposite effect, and encourage still more disregard for our immigration and border security laws, placing us within a few years in the same untenable position we¹re now in?²
I believe today¹s announcement is somewhat premature because specific legislative text has yet to be drafted on a number of key details. Until I have the opportunity to review this text, I will withhold from making more detailed comments. Clearly, however, there will be an opportunity to introduce amendments to this legislation, and I expect there will be a number of areas where that will be necessary.
Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee¹s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee¹s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.