Speech #1100143508

Where have they been this whole time? I can tell you where they have been. They have been cynically using the immigration problem to stir up local resentment and fear to divert attention away from their inaction. They have vilified immigrants. especially Latinos. making them the new unwanted class. the new untouchables. They have tried to convince Americans that declaring English the official language will solve our problems. when in fact English is already our national language. but the Government sometimes needs to use other languages to respond to health care and law enforcement emergencies. They have engaged in targeted attacks on people who are contributing to our communities. I urge them to drop their rhetorical attacks that cater to the extreme right wing of their party. I urge them to listen to the American people. who want real solutions. Americans understand that immigration is a complex challenge that requires a comprehensive solution. They know that we need to address the situation of the 12 million illegal immigrants in the country. requiring them to register with the Government or face deportation. that we need to deport those who have committed serious crimes or represent a threat to our national security. that we need to meaningfully go after employers who flaunt the law by hiring those who are not authorized to work. and that we need to ensure that American workers are not harmed by U.S. immigration policy. We can do this. We can uphold the rule of law. And we can do it without sacrificing our proud tradition of immigration. The American people understand the issues. Why cant the Republicans? Instead. they are proposing to deny local communities funding for community policing because such communities recognize that working with immigrant communities helps combat crime and lawlessness. They would force all American workers to prove eligibility to work based on a database that is so flawed it will result in denial of employment to millions of authorized workers. including American citizens. They would impose jail sentences on illegal immigrants who have not committed crimes. further overloading U.S. prisons. Those are just a few of the unworkable proposals they have introduced today. blithely ignoring the untold harm such ideas will cause to the American public. This Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform in 2006. That bill faced head on the many aspects of the immigration system that are broken. It recognized that it is impractical to deport 12 million illegal immigrants. And it is undesirablethe majority of these people are playing a key role in the U.S. economy. taking care of our children. mowing our lawns. and harvesting our crops. But that legislation also recognized that the Government must seize control of our immigration system. Border enforcement that is both effective and humane must be implemented. Employers who knowingly break the law and hire illegal immigrants must be punished. By hiring people who are not authorized to work. these bad actors are also violating labor protections in place to protect American workers. The 2006 bill failed in the House. where the Republican majority instead chose to grandstand the issue and push an enforcementonly bill.