Speech #1140061903

That is all the legislation attempted to do. Yet there was a concerted effort across the aisle to filibuster the bill and prevent us from even considering this legislation. along with any suggestions our colleagues might have for improving it. The goal of the bill. the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act. is not to keep legal immigrants from entering the United States or to disparage lawabiding immigrants. Even the victims mother. Marie. someone with justifiable. personal anger. noted that this tragedy does not mean that her family is against immigrationfar from it. This legislation is narrowly targeted to address the root cause of the tragedies like the one I have been talking about. by targeting criminal illegal immigrants who repeatedly ignored the rule of law and who live with virtual impunity in our country and victimize people like the Vega family. We cant. in good faith. address immigration reform until the American people see us doing more to enforce our existing laws. I have been here for a while. and I have heard the arguments across the aisle that our colleagues would say: Well. the only thing we need to do to fix problems like what the Vega family experienced and otherwise is to pass comprehensive immigration reform. But the American people simply dont have enough confidence in us if we are unwilling to take the necessary steps to see that the laws on the books are already enforcedthe very laws that would protect people like Javier Vega. Jr.. and his family. We have a lot of work to do to regain the publics confidence. because we can do other things that I believe we need to do to fix our broken immigration system. It is imperative. it is our responsibility. and it is something we referred to in our oaththat we will uphold and defend the laws and the Constitution of the United States. It is our responsibility to make sure that local governments comply with Federal laws and do not prevent the Department of Homeland Security from doing its job in enforcing them.