Speech #1090119898

Mr. President. so far this week. we have had good debate. strong debate. robust debate. on strengthening our borders and crafting a comprehensive immigration plan. Everyone agrees we need to secure our borders. that our national security is at stake. We are also in agreement that we need to craft a comprehensive immigration plan that is compassionate. reasonable. and fair. that upholds our immigrant tradition without crossing over the line of granting amnesty. As I have said before. a nation that cannot secure its borders cannot secure its destiny. I am gratified by my colleagues support for my amendment yesterday to have the Department of Homeland Security collect data on the terrible problem of border crossing fatalities. of deaths of people crossing the border. The amendment also suggests policies to reduce the number of these tragedies. As I mentioned on the floor. over the past decade over 3.000 men. women. and childrenfamilieshave died along our borders. in many cases because of the brutality and indifference of criminal human smugglers who. at the first sign of trouble. abandon their human cargo in the desert to suffer and die. We have an obligation to protect our borders. but we also have an obligation to protect and preserve the life of every person who sets foot on American soil. I am hopeful that by gathering this information on this tragic problem. we can devise the best methods to put an end to it. I am also certain that as we continue with the larger debate. we will be able to craft a comprehensive plan that deals fairly with the 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants now residing within our borders without granting amnesty. I believe the Judiciary Committee billthe bill that came out of the Judiciary Committeegoes too far in granting illegal immigrants with what can fairly be described as amnesty. We will hear a lot of debate on what is amnesty. and I hope there will be some consensus over time coming out of this debate as to what amnesty actually is. I believe the Judiciary bill does enter this realm of amnesty. and. thus.