Speech #1040190997

I would like to just sort of comment to the fact that I support this amendment. As somebody who has spent 20 years supervising law enforcement agencies. not just in local government but local government along the border. I must remind my dear colleague from Texas that this amendment does not make it mandatory that local law enforcement enforce the immigration aspect of the crimes that are being committed by illegal entering. It is voluntary. Mr. Chairman. I want to remind my colleagues from both California and Texas we are talking about the commission of a crime. When somebody violates immigration law and comes into this country. they are not illegal only when they break another civil law. a local law enforcement. they are illegal because they have broken the laws of the United States. It is. I Just have to say. sort of interesting the fact that I do not know if my colleague from Texas or California are aware of things like the San Diego border task force. which is San Diego police officers patrolling the international border and getting in fire fights. gun fights with smugglers and other illegal activity that is related to the alien problem.