http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/ho ... ?id=320067

Exclusive: The Fence Bill Without Money Behind It Is Useless

Michael Cutler
Author: Michael Cutler
Source: The Family Security Foundation, Inc.
Date: October 9, 2006

There are few heroes in Washington, D.C. - this we know. So when one comes along, FSM wants to shout it from the rooftops and acknowledge true leadership. As FSM Contributing Editor Mike Cutler informs us, this welcome quality comes in the person of Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner. Read why.

The Fence Bill Without Money Behind It Is Useless
Michael Cutler
October 9, 2006
James Sensenbrenner, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, demonstrated real leadership in blocking any guest worker amnesty programs. I have had the opportunity to speak briefly with him at a couple of venues, most significantly on September 1 of this year when I went to Iowa to testify at a field hearing about the madness of the immigration bill the Senate had passed, S. 2611 which, in my judgment, would represent a threat to our nation's security.
Congressman Sensenbrenner has accomplished much, while holding off politically bankrupt politicians who support guest worker amnesty programs that would legalize unknown millions of illegal aliens. With an official identity document that could then be used as a "breeder document", enabling millions of illegal aliens to create new and false identities including driver's licenses, Social Security Cards, bank accounts, credit cards and even library cards, the true identities of these aliens would be impossible to determine. This would enable terrorists to game the system easily and embed themselves among us as they prepare once again to attack our nation and slaughter innocent Americans.
You can read the transcript of the testimony offered by the witnesses at the hearing in Iowa at which I testified by clicking on the link below:
http://judiciary.house.gov/oversight.aspx?ID=258
The job of resolving the immigration crisis, however, is far from being completed. The bill that the Congress has approved that is referred to as the "Fence Bill" does not provide adequate funds actually to build the fence. Nothing can be accomplished without the money to get the job done. Not only has the Congress not, as of yet, appropriated the necessary funds to build the 700 mile fence, I do not know how the President will react to this bill either. My skepticism is not without cause. I have testified at a couple of hearings conducted by the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims about how the Congress had authorized the funds to hire new special agents for ICE and the Border Patrol only to have the number of new employees authorized by the Congress be slashed by the President. In March of last year, in fact, I was called upon by that subcommittee to testify about the fact that while Congress had authorized the funds to hire 800 new special agents for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) the administration slashed that number to just 143 new special agents that critical mission.
It is also critical to remember that simply fencing off the border will not solve the immigration crisis. Our nation also needs to deal with the issue of a lack of integrity where the adjudication of applications for immigration benefits is concerned along with a whole host of other issues relating to the enforcement and administration of the immigration laws from within the interior of the United States.
Make no mistake, I am pleased that the "Fence Bill" was passed by the Congress, but our government has much more to do where this multi-faceted issue of immigration is concerned. Never forget that immigration is a system and all components are critical. Where the fence is concerned, to borrow a quote from the movies, "Show me the money!"
For all too many of our political "leaders" the name of the game is to create whatever illusion they believe is required to attract voters, but to make certain that the status quo is maintained. About a year ago, Governor Richardson of New Mexico publicly demanded help for his state's "Immigration crisis" as he declared it, yet while he demanded money from the federal government to help his state deal with this crisis, he continued to be an advocate for issuing driver's licenses for illegal aliens, in-state tuition for illegal aliens and other such benefits that simply attracted more illegal aliens to his state! He was, in effect, calling for assistance in putting out a fire while he was pouring gasoline on the flames! It is my belief that a number of the members of both houses of Congress voted for the fence but really don't want it built. Those are the members who will undoubtedly vote against funding measures to enable the fence to be built.
Another issue I feel compelled to make note of are the statements made by various government officials in Mexico who believe that they have the right to dictate our nation's policies where construction of the fence is concerned. I would remind you that Mexico sends the United States more illegal aliens and narcotics than any other nation on the face of the earth. Additionally, many illegal aliens from other countries also pass through our nation's southern border on the way to cities throughout the United States. However, you cannot blame them alone for displaying such arrogance, they have, after all, been encouraged, aided and abetted by none other than the President of the United States and his cabinet where the issue of immigration and border security are concerned. Our President's steadfast refusal to secure our borders makes the courage of the leaders in Congress such as Jim Sensenbrenner, John Hostettler and Steve King all the more noteworthy!
Chairman Sensenbrenner has demonstrated true leadership where the immigration issue is concerned and I laud his efforts. I hope he will be able to continue to lead the charge and keep our nation on the right path to protect our nation's security!
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Michael Cutler is a Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies and a well-respected authority on immigration and border security issues.
© 2003-2006 FamilySecurityMatters.org All Rights Reserved
If you are a reporter or producer who is interested in receiving more information about this writer or this article, please email your request to Miramx1@aol.com.
Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of The Family Security Foundation, Inc.