Speech #1100059926

I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Its clear. it should be clear to Members what this amendment does and what this program does. This. in fact. has local law enforcement enforcing immigration law. This is the most unpopular and rejected program within law enforcement in this country when it comes to these types of programs. Department after department. police department after police department. sheriffs department after sheriffs department has said we dont want this responsibility. we dont want this job. In fact. that is the reason why the number of communities that have participated in this program is not anywhere where the proponents would want it to be. because the mainstay. the strength of local law enforcement is the ability to fight crime. to protect the community. and. yes. even to flush out possible terrorist acts by getting information from the community. Granted. there is an immigration issue. But the police departments. the local law enforcement do not want to play the role of immigration officers because they want the ability to be able to speak to members of the community and get information. Now. that information may be who did you see near that car that is now missing from that corner. But that information can also be. where did you see and who did you see going into that building where we later found equipment to make bombs that could in fact be involved in a terrorist attack. Local law enforcement have told us. in big cities and in small cities throughout this country and the rural communities. that they want the ability to work with their communities. and they dont want to be hampered by being asked to enforce immigration law. And how it works is very simply this. There are people who are in this country without proper documentation. You call them illegal aliens. some of us call them undocumented. But they still live in the community. They still have information and law enforcement needs to work with them. If they now know that the local police officer. if they now know that the local sheriffs deputy is going to be dealing with them in terms of an immigration situation. they will not open up to that person and give them any information. And in the long run. we will suffer as a Nation. Thats why I think that this is a bad program.