Speech #1100057023

America needs secure borders. Right now. we do not have them. As a nation of immigrants which honors the rule of law. we must secure our borders to make America safe so we can fix our countrys immigration system. A nation that cannot secure its borders cannot secure its destiny or administer its laws. The current proposal contains the first border security trigger envisioned by my fellow Senator from Georgia. JOHNNY ISAKSON. It says no temporary worker program or transition to Z visa status for those currently illegally in the country can begin until the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security certifies to the President and to the Congress that the specific key border security measures are funded. in place. and operational. These triggers include constructing 370 miles of fencing that was previously authorized. 200 miles of vehicle barriers at the border. and finishing the goal of doubling the size of the Border Patrol since this President took office. The trigger also includes a provision that detention facilities must have a total capacity of 27.500 beds to end the practice of catch and release on our southern border. It is absolutely vital that the Senate act to put the resources and mechanisms in place to allow the Department of Homeland Security to gain operational control of our borders and to have stronger and more meaningful enforcement of our immigration laws in the interior of the United States. With enhanced enforcement. we have already seen a positive change at the border. The number of people apprehended for illegally crossing our southern border is down by nearly 27 percent in 200 from this point in time in 2006. You might say. the numbers of apprehensions are down. that does not sound as though the agents are doing a very good job. and more people are getting in. The fact is the numbers are down because our Border Patrol agents are doing an outstanding job and because illegal entrants are deterred from even trying to cross as news of our increased security has made its way south. So starting with border security and ensuring we get our borders secure through certain mechanisms is my top priority. and this bill does that. While I have been supportive of getting us to this point and supportive of the framework of this approach. there are certain issues I believe can be improved upon. Some of my colleagues have amendments to do that. and I wish to discuss briefly a couple of amendments I have filed.