Speech #1090118493

Unofficial data collected along the Arizona border shows that nearly 225 people died last year crossing that border. About 10 percent perished under circumstances that suggest foul play. We all know the terrible stories of criminals who prey on vulnerable migrants. who charge outrageous prices to smuggle them across the border and then often abandon them at the moment trouble strikes. It is wrong. It is time for us to act. And over the next week and a half on this floor we will act. The bill that I introduced includes a number of commonsense consensus measures that improve security along our physical border. crack down on human smugglers. simplify the process of deporting wrongdoers. and make it easier for employers to confirm their employees legal status. First and foremost. we need better enforcement and we need more manpower on the ground. Last year. the Senate led the charge to provide funding for 1.000 additional officers. more equipment. and more detention beds. That was a start but only a start. My proposal adds nearly 15.000 more officers over the next few years in a sustained and focused effort to buttress the nearly 20.000 already deployed to work on border issues. It also requires new investments in unmanned aerial vehicles. cameras. and sensors. and a comprehensive national border security strategy. It establishes a longterm project of building a virtual barrier to cover every mile of our 1.951mile border with Mexico. This will both make America safer. and it will reduce the number of people endangering themselves trying to come into our country. In addition to physically strengthening our border. the bill makes it easier for the Department of Homeland Security to catch people who violate our immigration laws. It enhances the collection of biometric data about who enters the country. And it allows the department to set up additional border checkpoints. Moreover. the border security bill creates tough. new penalties for human smugglers and document forgers. Under this bill. terrorists. dangerous gang members. and others with serious criminal connections face expedited removal from the United States. But this bill doesnt just draw on the common sense of the American people for its provisions. It also looked to the 9/11 Commission Report for guidance. This Commission recommended that we consolidate border screening systems. The border security bill does just that. It encourages the use of biometric data to keep track of who is coming and going. Again. the border security bill does just that. It identified the need of State and local officials to work with Federal agencies to identify terrorist suspects. The border security bill does just that. Securing the border and enforcing our laws are crucial first steps to making America safer. But much more remains to be done.