Gillmor Introduces Resolution Advancing His Five Point Immigration Plan

Via email:

WASHINGTON, DC- For more than a year, Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-Tiffin) has been traveling Northwest Ohio discussing his five principles for comprehensive immigration reform. As the U.S. Senate begins debating legislation which Gillmor calls "fundamentally flawed," the senior Ohio Republican is encouraging his House colleagues to debate his five points. Today, Gillmor introduced a resolution for his house colleagues outlining his five principles for immigration reform.

"There are some topics which will always be on the minds of the American people; immigration is one of these issues. Two years before I entered the House, Congress told the people they had concluded the final chapter of our immigration crisis when it approved the Immigration Control and Reform Act. At that time there were three million illegal immigrants who were given amnesty with a promise that strong border security would ensure the influx of illegal immigrants came to an end. Just two decades later, we have an estimated twelve million illegal immigrants inside the United States . Obviously, the American people were sold a broken plan and a broken promise," Gillmor said. "As the House has worked to pass legislation to secure the border, I have been telling Northwest Ohioans my five principles for immigration reform. Soon, we will begin the immigration debate again and I am encouraging my colleagues to honor my five principles for comprehensive immigration reform."

Gillmor's Resolution (H.Res. 440) states that immigration legislation considered by the House of Representatives should commit to the following:

Strengthen border security by providing increased resources to federal and state authorities to assist border patrol efforts;

Enforce our laws banning the hiring of illegal immigrants coupled with the establishment of an instant employment verification system;

Design a limited temporary worker program to allow documented foreign workers to live in the country legally for a fixed, but limited period of time;

Oppose amnesty for those who have broken our laws;

Change the focus of legal immigration to give a priority to law-abiding, highly-skilled immigrants applying for legal entry.

"We accept more than a 500,000 legal immigrants every year and I am committed to continuing our tradition as a welcoming nation. But our borders have more holes today than a bag of hula hoops. Our open borders are one of the largest security threats our nation faces and they must be closed. We must also eliminate the economic magnet by enforcing our laws against hiring illegal aliens," Gillmor said. "As many of our Northwest Ohio farmers will tell you, there is a real need for farm labor and I support renewing a limited temporary worker program to allow a certain number of foreign workers to live in America for a fixed time. I also believe we should place a priority on highly-skilled immigrants who will benefit our nation."

"I have listened to the people of Northwest Ohio and I know that my five principles on immigration reform are the guidelines they want Congress to follow. The plan which was introduced recently by a group of U.S. Senators meets several of my five points but it falls very flat on the merits of opposing amnesty. Negotiations are always difficult and require some compromise, but compromising core principles should never be an option. I expect the Senate plan will meet a very cold welcome in the House," Gillmor said.

The U.S. Senate is expected to continue debating comprehensive immigration reform over the next few weeks. When the House debate begins, Gillmor says he hopes his colleagues will consider his five points.

Don't look now, but it looks like Rep. Gillmor has had a run in with common sense since that Guam vote...