Rep. Schmidt Newsletter: "The Latest Immigration Debate"

Via email:

Washington, DC - Illegal immigration is one of the most serious issues facing our nation. It is an issue that often sparks a heated and emotional public dialogue. Today, there are an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States . I find this number embarrassing. Congress has passed various pieces of legislation to fix the immigration crisis in our country, but obviously there is much work to be done.

We have always taken great pride in our heritage as a nation of immigrants. Our forefathers intended our country to be a melting pot of sorts and the United States has been strengthened by the generations of immigrants who became Americans through hard work, patience, and assimilation. In a post-9/11 world, we must be vigilant about who is entering our country. Reforming our immigration law is vital, and securing our borders must be our most pressing concern.

The debate over immigration rapidly heated up in response to an agreement reached by a few Senators and President Bush to address this issue. My Washington , D.C. office and district offices have been inundated with questions, comments, and opinions about the Senate agreement, and what it means for the future of our nation.

Given the interest in this issue, I thought it would be a good idea to share some answers to the most frequently asked questions I've been receiving.

Q. Does Congresswoman Schmidt support the agreement reached among members of the Senate?

A. I strongly oppose the compromise being considered by the Senate. I believe the proposal rewards illegal behavior and does not do enough to secure our borders. It is important to note that this debate has just begun. The Senate must complete its consideration of this bill before it is sent to the House of Representatives. More importantly, the House is not bound to consider the Senate's version of immigration reform. We are free to consider any proposal or none at all.

Q. Does the Senate proposal provide amnesty for illegal aliens?

My main problem with this agreement is that, immediately upon enactment, anyone here illegally as of January 1, 2007, will automatically receive a legal work permit - exactly what they broke the law to obtain. To me, that is a form of amnesty. This proposal rewards illegal behavior. The foundation of our nation is the rule of the law, and those who enter our country illegally violate the law. By granting amnesty to illegal aliens, we are sending the message that it is okay to break the law, and encouraging others to do the same.

In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act provided amnesty for undocumented aliens already in our country. At that time, we let 1.1 to 1.3 million illegal immigrants become United States citizens. Today we have more than 12 million immigrants living here illegally. The less we control our borders, the

more we sacrifice our national security. When millions of law abiding people are following the law and patiently waiting to be granted U.S. citizenship, we simply cannot turn a blind eye to the millions who instead came here illegally and place them at the front of the line.

Q. Are there any components of the Senate proposal that Congresswoman Schmidt supports?

A. I believe that strengthening our borders is the number one priority for our homeland security. I understand the Senate agreement provides important border security and enforcement provisions that I support. The Senate agreement calls for expanding Border Control agents by 18,000; constructing 200 miles of vehicle barriers; and building 370 miles of fencing along the border. It also calls for deploying state-of-the-art technology including 70 ground-based radar and camera towers on the southern border and four unmanned Aerial Vehicles. I believe that we must do more to improve border security and enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) already has 15,000 Border Control agents and the 370 miles of fencing is less than the 700 miles of fencing that Congress approved last year. However, including these and other border protection initiatives is at least a tacit agreement that we must secure our borders.

Q. What will Congresswoman Schmidt do to address the illegal immigration crisis?

A. I will vigorously oppose any legislation that grants amnesty to illegal aliens. I have in the past and will continue to support initiatives to strengthen our border security.