Speech #1090173349

Mr. Speaker. our Nation desperately needs comprehensive immigration reform. but the Republican majority is more interested in playing politics with this issue than working towards a true solution. We need to make sure that we have control of our borders. That is why I support H.R. 4830. the Border Tunnel Prevention Act. and why I have previously supported other efforts to secure our border including the expansion of physical barriers and fencing in key areas. H.R. 4830 supports the sound policy of amending the federal criminal code to prohibit the construction or financing of an unauthorized tunnel under our border and we are right to ensure strict penalties for anyone who does this. However. if the Republican leadership was truly serious about securing our borders and preventing the entry of undocumented immigrants. they would fully fund the additional 10.000 border agents that we authorized when we passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. Public Law 108458. last year. The addition of these agents. which had broad bipartisan support. was a provision that would have a direct impact on securing both our Southern and Northern borders and had broad bipartisan support. However. when it comes time to fund these additional agents. Congress consistently comes up short. There are two other provisions that we are considering that I do not supportH.R. 6094. the socalled Community Protection Act and H.R. 6095. the socalled Immigration Law Enforcement Act. I oppose H.R. 6094. the socalled Community Protection Act. because it would overtum two Supreme Court decisions that currently prevent unlawful indefinite detention of noncitizens. If passed. it would permit the indefinite and perhaps permanent detention of noncitizens who cannot be deported due to no fault of their own. The severe curtailment of Due Process in this provision will lead to erroneous removal of people who should not have been deported. such as U.S. citizens who could not quickly provide proot of their U.S. citizenship. or an abused spouse or child who could not quickly show their eligibility for relief under VAWA or someone who was not in fact inadmissible due to a criminal ground of inadmissibility but could not timely hire a lawyer who knew the complex case law that governed his or her admissibility. I oppose H.R. 6095. the socalled Immigration Law Enforcement Act. which would harm the relationship between the police and immigrants and citizens. It will obstruct police in their mission of keeping our streets safe. Essentially the bill is asking the State and local police to pick up the slack for the Federal Government.