Speech #1090172599

I am a citizen. We are requiring these people to register with the Government. We require them to obtain a temporary work visa. We require them to pay an additional $1.000 fee. We require them to go to the back of the line of the legal immigration process. We require them to pass a background check so we would make sure they would all be crimefree. We would require that they learn English. We would require them to learn history and government. We would require them to pass a medical exam. We would require them to prove continuous employment with a valid temporary visa. Mr. President. that was a comprehensive immigration reform law that was passed by a bipartisan group of Senators in this Senate. and it is legislation that we should be proud of. Today. we are being asked to forget that work we did. forget the comprehensive nature of that reform. and to take a simple piece of legislation on a fence and say that we have dealt with the immigration problem of our country. That is simply. again. a piecemeal approach to dealing with the issue. a political gimmick being used in this election year. It is a gimmick that we should stand together as United States Senators. Republicans and Democrats alike. and reject it and say we are going to move forward with comprehensive immigration reform. Finally. with respect to this fence. when you look at what people have said about the fence. some have said it reminds them of the Berlin Wall. Some have said that it is unAmerican. But I would like to quote from some of the members of the administration who. frankly. have been working with us on a comprehensive immigration reform package. Secretary of Homeland Defense. Mr.