Speech #1090131820

Mr. President. we resumed yesterday what I think most of us believe is a historic debate in consideration of comprehensive immigration reform. This body debated immigration reform and brought forth a resolution in 1986. We did it once again in 1996. And here it is. 2006. and we are back. frustrated in some ways. angered in others. that there may be as many as 12 million illegal immigrants in our country. illegal foreign nationals who came in a relatively uncontrolled or unenforced fashion. Last night I heard. and America heard. our President deliver what I believe was one of the most comprehensive approaches toward dealing with this issue. First and foremost. he recognized what the Congress did not recognize In 1986. nor did we recognize it in 1996. No matter how comprehensive our reform is. it will not work. unless this Nation controls and secures its borders and. therefore. devises programs that allow a reasonable number of foreign nationals to come into our economy on an annual basis to help us grow and help us continue to be the great immigrant Nation we are. Then the President. beyond his approach toward securing the border. talked about a variety of other approaches. Let me talk only about border security. A good number of us began to work with the White House several months ago. and our message was quite simple. We didnt believe the Congress could fashion comprehensive immigration reform. that the politics of the day were too contentious. unless we had convinced the American people. first and foremost. that primarily our southern border would become more secure. that the flood of humanity coming across it on an hourly basis was stopped. and that the comprehensive bill that would then be fashioned would recognize the needs of our economy and bring workers to our economy in a reasonable fashion. The President gets it. His speech last night said it. While the work the Judiciary Committee and the Senate have done do beef up border control. you dont get there overnight. You dont invest billions of dollars and stand up a virtual wall. and a real wall in some places. in a 24hour period. The President. understanding that. is now engaging the four border States along our southwestern border. with the complement of the National Guard. not to enforce but to facilitate the Border Patrol. which is legally trained and deputized to do what is necessary in the area of border enforcement. Securing our southwestern border is critical. One AP reporter asked me last night: Isnt this political?