Speech #1090137857

I hope. improve on this legislation. We need a policy that is tough. We need an immigration policy that is smart. We need an immigration policy that is comprehensive. I agree with many of my colleagues. including my friend from Missouri who has just spoken. I believe it begins with tougher borders. tougher border security. We have seen an increase in the number of Border Patrol who man our borders along the border of the United States and Mexico. I am told we have seen between 1995 and 2005 a doubling of the number of Border Patrol who patrol that area. Meanwhile. between 2001 and this year. we have seen a drop by almost a third of the folks who are apprehended coming into this country illegally. That makes no sense. I think in terms of being on the border. we may need more Border Patrol. We are certainly voting for more Border Patrol. and I think that is the right step. But it is also important that the folks to whom we assign these responsibilities do a better job of tightening the borders and apprehending those who attempt to come through illegally. The President proposedand we have signed off on itthe deployment of National Guard troops along our border to work in conjunction with Border Patrol. I support that. As an old commander in chief of the Delaware National Guard for 8 years.