Dear Mr. and Mrs. _______,


What a pleasure to hear from you. Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns regarding illegal immigration and to express your support for enforcement rather than amnesty for illegal immigrants. Hearing from constituents on issues of concern is important to me and our office as we work to represent our district.

America has an illegal immigration crisis because our border enforcement is inadequate. The illegal alien population in the U.S. has grown to more than 12 million, which puts our national security at risk. Congressional inquiries have revealed a number of illegal aliens working at sensitive and critical infrastructure sites like nuclear power plants and military installations. As a member of the Immigration Reform Caucus, I have fought for reforms that will stem the flow of illegal entry into the United States, and I have supported legislation to overhaul our border security, create new measures that would help employers verify the legal status of potential new employees, and oppose amnesty at every turn.

First and foremost, Congress must ensure that illegal immigrants cannot obtain valid drivers licenses and use those identification documents to further violate our laws to gain access to government services at taxpayer expense. As a state senator I led the effort to ensure that Tennessee driver licenses were not available to illegal aliens, and I've worked to pass the REAL ID Act in Congress, which was signed into law on May 11, 2005 as part of the Emergency Supplemental Wartime Appropriations Act. The REAL ID Act sets forth minimum standards for every state to follow when issuing a drivers license. This ensures that no one state can endanger the other 49 states with weak standards. In addition, a license cannot be issued without the applicant proving they are lawfully present in the United States.

Additionally, I authored the Photo Identification Security Act (H.R.1314), which would close a legal loophole in the Patriot Act that allows illegal immigrants access to the American financial sector through the acquisition of credit cards, mortgages and loans. This bill will require the U.S. Government and American financial institutions to accept only secure forms of identification. Only people who are in the United States legally will have these forms and will be the only ones able to receive federal benefits and conduct financial transactions in the U.S. The three acceptable forms of identification are (1) a foreign or U.S. passport; (2) a Citizenship and Immigration Services photo identification card; and (3) a social security card with a state or federal photo identification card.

H.R.1314 is currently under review in both to the House Financial Services and House Oversight and Government Reform Committees. You will also be pleased to know that Congressman Tom Price and I sent a formal letter to Chairman Barney Frank and Ranking Member Spencer Bachus of the House Financial Services Committee requesting an investigation into the practice of issuing credit cards to illegal immigrants by American financial institutions. Chairman Frank has asked the committee staff to look into our concerns.

I am also the lead cosponsor of the Charlie Norwood CLEAR Act of 2007. This legislation clarifies that local law enforcement agencies have the inherent authority to detain illegal aliens and enforce immigration laws within the normal course of their duties. Currently, the lines of jurisdiction over detaining illegal aliens are burdensome and confusing for state and local law enforcement agencies. At present, if a local or state law enforcement agent comes across an illegal alien, many are forced to call the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain the alien. With the short staff at the DHS, this rarely if ever happens and illegal aliens are released into the streets. It is my hope that Congress will consider the Charlie Norwood CLEAR Act of 2007 soon.

I have consistently worked to make illegal immigration enforcement a priority in Congress, and I will not stop until the liberal majority at the U.S. House listens to the American people who are crying out for reform. Be assured that I will keep your views in mind and continue to play an active role in the immigration debate in the 110th Congress.

Please know that I appreciate both your interest and your time in contacting us on this issue. As the discussion and debate moves forward on this and other issues please feel free to visit our website at www.house.gov/blackburn where you can sign-up for our email update -- the Blackburn Report, updates on important issues; find information on constituent services; read columns, recent press and the latest legislative news; all of which affect and concern the people of Tennessee.

Sincerely,

Marsha Blackburn
Member of Congress
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Dear Mr. and Mrs. _______,


What a pleasure to hear from you. Thank you for contacting me to share your support for making English the official language of the United States. Hearing from constituents on issues of concern is important to me and our office as we work to represent our district.

Twenty-seven states, including Tennessee, have made English their official language and a vast majority of the public believes that the Federal government should have a similar policy. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 997, which would declare English as the official language of the United States, and H.R. 768 which would reverse Executive Order 13166. Specifically, H.R. 768 would nullify Executive Order 13166, which calls for "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency," while also protecting the well-being of all Americans, including public health and safety. Currently, H.R. 997 has been referred to the House Education and Labor Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, and H.R. 768 has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization and Procurement. I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind should this legislation come before the full House.

Please know that I appreciate both your interest and your time in contacting us on this issue. As the discussion and debate moves forward on this and other issues please feel free to visit our website at www.house.gov/blackburn where you can sign-up for our email update -- the Blackburn Report, updates on important issues; find information on constituent services; read columns, recent press and the latest legislative news; all of which affect and concern the people of Tennessee.

Sincerely,

Marsha Blackburn
Member of Congress
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