Speech #1100051718

I believe the agreement we reached among a bipartisan group of Members of this body is a step in the right direction because it gets us to where we are today. that is. we are debating this critical issue on the floor of the Senate. Bringing this issue to the floor of the Senate allows Members of this body an opportunity to improve upon what has previously been negotiated. Senator GRAHAMs amendment is an improvement that should be adopted because it deals with the very most important part of this particular bipartisan piece of legislation. that is. border security and interior enforcement. This amendment creates a more effective deterrent against future illegal immigration by ensuring that illegal immigrants who are caught and deported and then return to the United States in violation of our laws again serve minimum jail sentences. There is nobody who is going to be deported and gets caught coming back in who is going to escape going to jail. It is kind of unbelievable to think about that we do not already have this kind of law on the books today. That is why this piece of bipartisan legislation is so critically important to the future of our immigration laws in this country. Under current law. if an illegal alien is caught entering the United States. that person is deported. This system is subject to abuse because an estimated 20 to 30 percent of those illegal immigrants deported simply return to the United States again in an illegal way. If that same person illegally reenters the United States again. they are subject to fines or imprisonment. but currently there is not a mandatory jail term. So our Border Patrol agents and our Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are faced with the problem of removing the same illegal immigrants time and time again. This amendment will ensure that everyone who is deported from the United States and reenters will serve jail time. This Is a most vital piece of legislation in getting control of our borders and in ensuring we have efficient and meaningful interior enforcement. This amendment is critical because it will make sure the resources of our Border Patrol and Customs agents are not expended on the same violators again and again. It also sends a strong signal to everyone in the world thinking about illegally coming to the United States that we are serious about our laws and are seriously going to punish those who violate those laws. I have to say. one problem we have. as we debate this bill and we talk with folks back home. is the credibility of this body. as well as the other body. as well as the agencies charged with carrying out the enforcement. Even though we are charged with oversight. the credibility of the U.S. Government in enforcing the current laws on the books is severely lacking. This is a measure that does put some real teeth into the deporting and reimporting by criminals. In this particular measure. it does give our law enforcement officials an opportunity to not only be serious about enforcement of the law but in a way that is truly meaningful and will go a long way toward stopping illegal immigrants from coming across our borders. as well as doing a better job of enforcing our immigration laws from an interior standpoint. So I urge all my colleagues to vote in support of the amendment offered by my good friend and colleague. Senator GRAHAM.