Speech #1090119648

The fact is. our economy depends on them. We simply cannot get the situation under control until we acknowledge economic reality. To be sure. we need more Border Patrol agents. and we should give them the equipment and technology they need. We must shut down the flow of illegal immigration. but we also need realistic and enforceable immigration laws. One crucial element of this strategy is to provide incentives for the undocumented immigrants already in the country to step out of the shadows. Today. there are more than 11 million undocumented people in our country. and more are coming every day. From a national security perspective. this is not acceptable. A sovereign government must know the identity of people crossing its borders and living in its cities.