Speech #1090171363

The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to prevent illegal entry into the United States within 18 months of enactment by using technological and physical infrastructures. Many of us have been calling for this for years. In fact. another provision of H.R. 6061 builds on a concept included in the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. which I authored as Chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee. In that bill we required fencing to be built near San Diego. California. because of the large number of illegal border crossings. That fencing was built and it was effectivethe number of illegal immigrants crossing in that area fell drastically. And now illegal immigrants cross the border in places with no barriers or that have only vehicle barriers that are easy to climb. Over one million people were apprehended crossing the border illegally last year. millions of others crossed illegally but were not apprehended. It is clear that Congress and the Administration need to do everything possible to secure the border. Anything less leaves our country more vulnerable to terrorist attack and leaves our citizens and legal immigrants paying the welfare. education. healthcare and other costs associated with illegal immigration. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.