Thread: REP MIKE ROSS: AMNESTY IS NOT THE SOLUTION

IMMIGRATION REFORM DEBATE: REP MIKE ROSS: AMNESTY IS NOT THE SOLUTION

States News Service
May 23, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C.

The following information was released by the office of Arkansas Rep. Mike Ross:

Inscribed on the Statue of Liberty outside Ellis Island in New York is a poem that has long defined America as the beacon of hope for those who wish to start a better a life. One of the most well-known parts of this poem reads: "Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free."

Immigration has long defined the history of the United States. In fact, most of us can probably trace our ancestry to someone who immigrated to the United States many generations ago.

Now, more than 120 years after the Statue of Liberty was erected, people from all over the world continue to come to America for the same reasons they always have: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

However, while we certainly welcome those from other countries, we must demand that those who wish to immigrate to America do so legally and deport all those who do not.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates that as of January 2009, there were 10.8 illegal immigrants residing within the United States.

I think most Americans can agree that illegal immigration is absolutely unacceptable and it must be immediately stopped.

To not even know who is crossing our borders and arriving on our shores is a very great threat to our national security.

Earlier this month, the President gave a major speech on immigration reform in El Paso, Texas, and the debate has intensified in Congress as well.

This is a very important debate our country must have.

Our immigration system is broken and to ignore the problem any longer is simply not an option.

We have made some improvements to the U.S.-Mexican border while increasing deportations of illegal immigrants.

We have increased the amount of fencing and aerial surveillance and increased the number of border agents, National Guard troops and intelligence analysts, all of which I supported or voted for.

Since 2008, we have also increased by six percent the number of illegal immigrant deportations and we have increased the deportation of criminals by 70 percent, according to DHS.

But, we can and must do more.

Some have suggested the solution is amnesty, which I adamantly oppose.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which legalized over 3 million illegal immigrants.

Twenty three years later, we find ourselves with even more illegal immigrants, demonstrating that amnesty simply does not work for America.

Securing this nation's borders should be Congress's top priority.

In addition, those seeking citizenship in the U.S. should be required to wait their turn under existing laws and come here legally.

This week, I have helped introduce the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act, which is a comprehensive bill to help address our broken immigration system.

This bill is a three-part plan to drastically reduce illegal immigration with a much stricter emphasis on border security, the verification of an employee's legal status and increased enforcement of existing laws.

I am hopeful we can pass this bill in this new session of Congress.

As this debate intensifies, please know that I will continue to oppose any legislation that includes any amnesty for illegal immigrants."

"Congress must work together to reform our current immigration system, which is broken and out of date. I am hopeful that both Democrats and Republicans can work together to pass comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform that both honors America's long-standing immigration tradition, but that also respects our laws and national security."

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 43&start=2

In addition, those seeking citizenship in the U.S. should be required to wait their turn under existing laws and come here legally.

This should read "those seeking entry into the US/legal status....not just those seeking citizenship. We also need to ban dual citizenship, as it serves no good purpose for us. Any and all illegal aliens MUST go back to their own countries, taking their children with them. End of story!

Amnesty, or the promise of an Amnesty is part of what creates the problem...

So NO, it is certainly not a solution...

[quote="American-ized"]IMMIGRATION REFORM DEBATE: REP MIKE ROSS: AMNESTY IS NOT THE SOLUTION

Wow! Someone who has our backs! So far, I really like this guy!

This guy sounds like a keeper. Hope he keeps up his position on immigration

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-6312--0-0.html

Our immigration system is not broken. The politicians like the Dems and Obama think that because they want to grant amnesty to illegals to advance their socialist agenda. What is broken are the politicians (Obama and the Dems). Over 1 million legal immigrants enter our country each year. Where is the system broken? What is broken are those who do not obey our immigration laws. Illegals must be deported. They are broken because they not not respect our laws. NO AMNESTY. NEVER. ENFORCE OUR LAWS AND ILLEGALS WILL LEAVE.

The lack of enforcement is the only problem with the current immigration laws! If the laws were being inforced there would not be 10 million illegals in america right now ( I belive the actual number is closer to 30 million ) but either way we were let down by our goverment not doing its job and following its own rules! Both parties are guilty of this and both parties are guilty of not stopping this! It seems that the people we've put in power to help look after us and make sure our country will be there for future generations, are selling us out, be it fo votes, money, or power. We could spend a life time trying to figure out the motives but that doesn't change the fact that they are taking advantage of their elected positions.