Thread: Texans take lead in border fight

Nov. 17, 2007, 5:19PM
DELEGATION WATCH
Texans take lead in border fight
Culberson, Poe say increasing security is key
By MICHELLE MITTELSTADT
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Immigration enforcement hawk Tom Tancredo may have decided to retire from Congress next year, but he's bequeathing his mantle to a pair of Texas Republicans: John Culberson and Ted Poe.

The two Texans have been at the forefront of the push for border security and a crackdown on illegal immigration for years. And both contend there's been a sea change in Congress since the defeat of the Senate immigration bill that would have legalized many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

"The nation is way beyond the tipping point of being fed up with people whose first act is to break our law and then demand that they be given government benefits or welfare or be legalized," said Culberson, R-Houston.

Border security, said Poe, R-Humble, "is starting to catch the attention of Congress because the American public is greatly concerned about the weak security on our borders."

The business community, immigrant-rights advocates and the Bush administration are distressed by Congress' failure to pass an immigration bill that would marry increased border security with a temporary worker program and a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. Border security alone, they say, will not suffice.

"Immigrants who want to work in the United States to make a better life for themselves and their families must have a legal way to do it, just as employers who need foreign employees must have a way to bring them to the United States. Otherwise, illegal immigration will continue to be problem," said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston.

But Culberson and Poe insist border security achievements are necessary before Americans will consider legalization or other immigration changes.

"This total reform immigration package has been rejected by the American people and by Congress," Poe said. "So we'll take it one step at a time with border security and we will figure out what to do down the road with people that are here illegally."

Both Poe and Culberson point with pride to some achievements on their agenda.

There's the $3 billion in the homeland security spending bill to finish construction of the 700-mile border fence, add thousands of Border Patrol agents and complete other administration enforcement priorities at the border.

Culberson is particularly proud of his instigation of a zero-tolerance policy the Border Patrol now is carrying out in the Laredo sector, detaining all illegal immigrants caught at the border rather than releasing them into Mexico.

And if this year's funding request goes through, Culberson will have gotten $8.6 million so far for Texas border sheriffs who say they are overrun by illegal immigration and drug traffickers.

In a key spending bill taking its final steps through Congress, Culberson also has inserted a provision that would bar the Executive Branch from implementing a controversial agreement with Mexico that he argues could break Social Security by paving the way for Mexicans who have worked in the U.S. to draw benefits for themselves and their families.

Culberson and Poe also are pushing a bipartisan bill that would require all employers to use a government database to check if their workers are legal and would increase worksite and border enforcement. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Stafford, also is a co-sponsor.

Though the bill's fate is far from assured, Poe said: "I think most members of Congress believe in border security, so let's deal with border security."

As for Tancredo, the firebrand who relentlessly pushed an enforcement-first agenda, Poe and Culberson offer complimentary words — but say they won't miss a beat.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/pol ... 09618.html

"The nation is way beyond the tipping point of being fed up with people whose first act is to break our law and then demand that they be given government benefits or welfare or be legalized," said Culberson, R-Houston.

We are being heard!