Speech #1090120198

Mr. President. I wish to comment on the immigration reform debate. Our borders are dangerously porous. and our immigration system is flatout broken. That is why it is so important for us to debate and focus on the issue of immigration reform and to bring that debate to closure over the course of this week. It is my hope that by Friday we will have a bill that is fair and equitable. that gives priority to our security concerns and at the same time respects Americas strong and proud immigrant tradition. We are a nation of the rule of law and a strong nation of immigrant heritage. Last October. I met with a number of Senators. including Senators CORNYN and MCCAIN. to discuss my intention to bring the immigration issue to the floor this spring. Why? Because the system is broken. There are millions of people coming across our borders. 25 percent growth last year in illegal immigrants coming across our borders. It is broken. It is broken at the borders. in the interior. And our temporary worker program is broken. I laid out at that time a specific plan for border security where we had broad agreement and then build on the consensus of border security with a comprehensive approach that included what happens on the interior that is. the worksite. workplace enforcement. as well as. in the third dimension. fixing the temporary worker program. Over last week and the first part of this week. we have followed the plan laid out last October. We started with strong border control and expanded to interior and worksite enforcement. as well as what I hope will be a fair. equitable. commonsense temporary worker program. All three elements are necessary. I am optimistic that by staying focused and by working togetheragain. this is not a partisan issue. as the Democratic leader knows in talking to his caucus and as I know in talking to my caucus. this is not a Republican or Democratic issue. it is a challenge for all of us to put together a workable. realistic immigration reform billwe can forge a plan that deals effectively with our national security. that protects the rule of law. and that recognizes that our economic interests can be reflected in strong legal immigration programs. What we cannot support. however. is amnesty. To me. amnesty is when you give someone who has clearly broken the law a leg up on the pathway to citizenship. Giving illegal immigrants a special path to citizenship essentially rewards people who have broken the law. It simply doesnt make sense when you have other lawabiding people around the world who are being disadvantaged. You are punishing people who follow the law.