Speech #1090108447

Madam Speaker. I rise today to talk about the national security implications of Illegal immigration. Last year. our Border Patrol agents arrested 155.000 Illegal aliens from countries other than Mexico who attempted to cross into the United States by the Mexican border. They included illegal immigrants from Iran. Iraq and Afghanistan. This poses a very serious national security problem. according to CIA director Porter Goss. On a recent trip to the MexicanCalifornia border. I spoke with Border Patrol agents who had apprehended suspects on the terrorist watch list. On the day I was there. two illegals from Pakistan were captured. When we go to the airport. our names are checked against a terrorist watch list. we have to produce photo ID. we remove our shoes. we walk through a metal detector. and we send our luggage through an Xray machine to check for bombs. Who is doing checks on the 8.000 people who arrive here illegally every day? The House has recently passed a tough border security bill. I urge the Senate to act now in the name of national security.