Speech #1090061479

TX. and Laredo. TX. I learned from people who have been long familiar with the movement of people back and forwards across our borders that the nature of illegal immigration has changed dramatically. The number of aliens from noncontiguous countries. sometimes called OTMsin other words. people from countries other than Mexicohas doubled in the last year alone. Already this year the Department of Homeland Security has apprehended about 100.000 aliens across the southern border who are from noncontiguous countries. While many of these individuals are coming from countries that you would expect. countries in Central and South America. many come from countries that have direct connections with terrorism. For example. we know that the Border Patrol has apprehended at least 400 aliens from countries with direct ties to terrorism. Former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Admiral James Loy. stated that "entrenched human smuggling networks and corruption in areas beyond our boarders can be exploited by terrorist organizations." He went on to state that "several alQaeda leaders believe operatives can pay their way into the country through Mexico and also believe that illegal entry is more advantageous than legal entry for operational security reasons." I believe the vast majority of the people who come to this country. even those who come outside of our laws. come here for understandable reasons. That is. people who have no hope and no opportunity where they live see this tremendous beacon of opportunity that America represents. and they want to come here to work and provide for their families. At the same time. we have to acknowledge that our porous borders represent a national security vulnerability which can also be exploited by international terrorists. We know the current system benefits smugglers and all too frequently leads to the deaths of immigrants whose only crime was trying to find a better life for themselves and their families. Indeed. the greatest hazard to people who come to this country to find work is the fact that they have to. under current law. resort too often to an illegal entry into the country. They turn their lives over to people who care nothing about them and who axe willing to leave them to die under the most extraordinarily bad circumstances. They must work for employers who can exploit them because they know they cant report labor law violations to the authorities. And they suffer criminal acts. such as domestic violence. and they must endure these acts because they believe they cant report the crime to law enforcement authorities or else they risk deportation. I believe a reform proposal must encourage aliens to participate in the legal process. to live within the law. Ultimately. after they have completed their time of work in this country. most will return home to their countries and to their families and to contribute to their societies in their homeland.