Speech #1090098920

Chairman. I rise in strong opposition to this measure. Border security is a critical component of our nations security. but we cannot have true border security without addressing comprehensive immigration reform. As U.S. Homeland Security Department Secretary Chertoff pointed out. "[t]he problem of immigration is one thats been with this country for 20 years. So we are digging ourselves out of a hole which it took 20 years to dig ourselves into." During the past twenty years. Congress has been taking an enforcement only approach which has put us in the "hole" that Secretary Chertoff referenced. If you want to get out of a hole. the first step is to stop digging. The Border Security bill we have today will only worsen an already broken immigration system and it represents the latest in misguided enforcement only approaches. In the past few years we have passed the Patriot Act. the Real ID act and now we are further expanding a big brother form of government by taking up this flawed bill. To fix our immigration system we must uphold American values by reuniting families. providing earned legalization for immigrants who have proven to be law abiding members of society and as the president has said. develop a guest worker program. Reuniting families is of particular concern for Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Our family preference immigration system has not been updated in more than a decade. and an increasing number of families face pedods of separation of up to twenty years. Family reunification is impeded by immigration backlogs and by outdated quota systems. The backlog for processing children of permanent residents to come to the U.S. is unconscionable if we are a nation that truly believes in family values. Eamed legalization is important to the many Asian Americans who are here working hard. paying taxes and need a chance to adjust their status. A fair. efficient and sensible guest worker program is also needed to provide a labor supply for American employers. Again. the real solution requires a comprehensive approach. not a border enforcement only measure. H.R. 4437. a bill that deals with enforcement only. ignores the reality of our current immigration challenges and will not be an effective way to address the security of our nation and the well being of our people. The time has come for Congress to make immigration reform a priority. Congress is long overdue in passing immigration laws that meet the real needs of families and businesses while reflecting Americas tradition of embracing the contributions of immigrants.