Speech #1090131788

They are overstretched. Technology has not been fully applied to the degree that it should be. Each year we have millions of undocumented immigrants. illegal immigrants once they cross that border. who come across the southern border and indeed our other borders as well. We catch more than we did in the past. but the numbers coming are increasing even faster thanthe numbers we catch. and far too many escape detection. and then. unfortunately. because of a catchandrelease program which is not working to the degree it should. as the President mentioned last night. they are then released into the country. We need to beef up the electronic surveillance and physical barriers where appropriate. Bottom line. we need to stop the hemorrhaging. and the President laid out a fivepoint plan very specifically last night. as to how we might do that. The reality of his remarks last night is that we are debating that very issue on the floor and this body must act. and will act. over the next 9 or 10 days to secure those borders and further the comprehensive immigration reform plan that addresses the issue of security and enforcement at the workplace. a strong temporary worker program. and addressinga lot of the amendments will focus on thisthe situation of 12 million people who are here illegally. Our supplemental appropriations bill we passed a few weeks ago included almost $2 billion to repair fences in hightraffic areas. to replace broken Border Patrol aircraft for lower traffic areas. and for supporting training of additional customs and Border Protection agents. We paid for this additional spending by cuts in other areas. The Senateand we will hear this debated over the next several daysis near consensus on putting nearly 15.000 new border security agents in the field over the next 6 years. We are taking action. We are taking control.