Speech #1100059123

I represent southern Arizona. My district. the 8th Congressional District. shares 120 miles with the country of Mexico. We are facing a security and immigration crisis in my district and across the Nation. The flood of illegal immigrants and drug trafficking continues to place an undue burden on not just our health care system but our schools. our first responders and on our local law enforcement. Currently. the Tucson sector is the most porous section along the U.S.Mexico border. On average. every day the Border Patrol apprehends about 2.000 illegal immigrants and approximately 2.500 pounds of drugs. While most illegal immigrants are coming here for economic opportunities and dont want to do harm to anyone. probably about 10 percent are involved in criminal activities. Nationally. the Border Patrol arrests 1 million illegal immigrants annually and seizes over 1 million pounds of marijuana and 15 to 20 tons of cocaine. Smugglers methods. routes and modes of transportation are potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited by terrorists attempting to do the American people harm. Border security must be strengthened. and all of the options for accomplishing this must be on the table. Success requires a multifaceted approach. We need to build fences. we need to deploy sensors. we need to utilize the latest technologies. such as UAVs. and take advantage of advanced technology in terms of detection. Im pleased that this legislation makes border security a priority and provides the funding that we badly need along the U.S.-Mexico border. The improved border security that this bill will fund is a crucial component in passing comprehensive immigration reform that is tough. practical and effective. I hope to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation later that includes components of border security. along with comprehensive immigration reform. Now. the bill that we are discussing today provides $8.8 billion for the Customs and Border Protection agency. which is $50 million above the Presidents request. and $64? million. nearly 8 percent. above fiscal year 2007. It provides funding for 3.000 additional Border Patrol agents. and this will bring the total number of Border Patrol agents up to 17.819 by the end of fiscal year 2008. This bill also funds the SBI. the Secure Border Initiative. This is going to be rolling out in Sasabe in southern Arizona. and it funds this initiative at the Presidents requested level of $1 billion.