Speech #1100057033

That debate went on for weeks and hundreds of amendments were considered. There is no reason to avoid that process in this situation. The issues of border security and immigration are some of the most important issues facing America today. and those issues deserve full and fair debate. The Democrats refusal to allow votes on amendments means that my amendments. which are very important to New Mexico. the southwest border. and the Nation. cannot be considered. Those amendments would have provided two more Federal judges in New Mexico to deal with immigration cases. ensured that small businesses have access to temporary workers they need. provided more personnel for Federal land agencies that must help secure Federal land on the international border. allowed New Mexico to reap the economic benefits of Mexican nationals coming legally to the United States for a short period of time for tourism and travel. called for Mexicos cooperation on border security and border crime. addressed the lack of law enforcement radio coverage on remote parts of the international border. strengthened and improved the Border Patrol Academy at Artesia. NM. and called for coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense on aerial surveillance efforts along the border. My amendments are based on needs that are imperative to border security. and many of them were suggested specifically by New Mexicans to help New Mexico. I would like to discuss a few of those amendments in more detail. First. I have heard from many Federal judges from the District of New Mexico and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals about the crisis New Mexico faces from an overloaded immigration docket. Seventyone percent of Federal criminal cases filed in New Mexico are immigration cases. This is the highest percentage of immigration cases anywhere in the United States. and New Mexico needs more judges to handle that caseload. Unfortunately. I was not allowed to address this crisis by offering an amendment to S. 1348 that would have provided New Mexico with two new Federal judges. Second. I have heard from New Mexico small businesses about their need for temporary workers in the food processing. construction. oil and gas. and restaurant industries. These small businesses were concerned that they would not have access to the temporary workers they need under S. 1348 as it is written. so I offered an amendment to set aside a number of temporary worker visas to only be used by small businesses. Unfortunately. I was not allowed to address New Mexico small businesses needs.