Speech #1090119667

It truly is a policy that works. that allows. that identifies. that controls. that shapes the relationship of our border so that while we want to stop those who may do us harm and control those who want to cross the border undetected. we must also recognize that we have to allow and we must allow movement of innocent citizens and commercial traffic. That is the nature of a borderto control. to shape. to clarify. to identify those who move across our borders. In the last 5 years. we have increased funding for border security by 60 percent. For those who say you have done nothing. you are just flat wrong. This Congress. understanding from 9/11 to today the responsibility of controlling our borders. has invested dramatically the resources of the American taxpayer. We now have some 10.000 Border Patrol agents along the southwestern border and 1.000 along our northern border. Our border protection agents have removed more than 4.5 million people. of whom some 350.000 have criminal records. In fiscal year 2005 alone. the U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 1.19 million people attempting to enter our country illegally. Through the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. Congress has provided more than $4 billion to State and local governments to help with the cost of incarcerating criminal aliens. It isnt just making sure the border is impenetrable. but when they cross the border making sure that we at the local level can bring about the kind of law enforcement that apprehends at least the criminal element and incarcerates them and holds them for future prosecution. Last years emergency supplemental funding bill contained an amendment by Senator ROBERT BYRD and myself reprogramming funds from other programs to make an immediate and substantial downpayment on increasing Border Patrol as well as adding hundreds of other law enforcement agents and nearly 2.000 more detention beds for illegal immigrants the law requires to be held for criminal activity. We didnt even have space. once arrested. once apprehended. to put the criminal element or those we felt might be engaged in criminal activity. However. even as we have increased border enforcement. net illegal immigration continues to be estimated at 400.000 to 500.000 people a year. We were all stunned last week at the report that undercover Federal agents managed to smuggle radioactive material through security checkpoints at the border. For all the billions we have invested. while there is no question the border is tightening. it is still penetrable in an illegal way. Clearly. despite the resources we have poured into the border. and with many successes. there is still much left to be done. The legislation before us. incorporated in a much broader immigration policy. is the kind of legislation that ought to go first. coupled with a responsible national immigration policy. Both bills before the Senate today contain numerous provisions aimed at improving our border security. They will increase the number of Federal officers policing our borders and improve their training. These bills will clean up Federal laws addressing criminal aliens. increasing the penalties for alien smuggling and gang violence and illegal entry and reentry. and expanding the definition of aggravated felony that is the basis for removing aliens or denying them entry in the first place. These bills support the Presidents decision to end the catchandrelease program. Can you imagine. that is exactly what we have been doing. You catch an undocumented worker. you file it. you release them. Why? We didnt have the capacity to detain them and hold them. to process them appropriately and make sure they were returned to the other side of the border.