Speech #1100054555

A thousand John Smiths. I think this is a weakness. In fact. the Border Patrol experts who called a press conference yesterday raised that particular point in a number of ways. Kent Lundgren. the national chairman of the Association of Former Border Patrol Agents. was contemptuous of the bill and said there are "no meaningful criminal or terrorist cheeks" in the bill. He said. "There is no way records can be done in 24 hours." Jim Dorcy. an agent with 30 years experience. and who has also moved up to inspector general of the Department of Justice. said: "24hour check is a recipe for disaster." Then he went on to say. "I call it the al Qaeda Dream Bill." That was from a TV program I happened to catch last night on CSPAN. a National Press Club presentation by a group of former Border Patrol officers. and I am going to quote from them a little more in a minute. Look at loophole No. 7. They say this bill will make us safer. but under the bill that is before us today. illegal aliens with terrorism connections are not barred from getting amnesty. An illegal alien with terrorist connections is not barred from getting amnesty. An illegal alien seeking most immigration benefits normally would have to show "good moral character." For all its flaws. last years bill specifically barred aliens with terrorism connections from being able to meet the definition of "good moral character." How simple is that? And from being eligible for amnesty. But this years bill does neither.