Thread: U.S. Rep. Barletta appointed to Homeland Security panel

Published: December 14, 2012
Tom Ragan
standardspeaker.com



A Pennsylvania Congressman known for his hard-line stance on illegal immigration is now going to have a voice as a member of Homeland Security.

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, was appointed to the U.S. House committee responsible for border security, protecting the country from terrorist attacks, responding to disasters and protecting national infrastructure in the 113th Congress.

Congressman Barletta will become a member of the Committee on Homeland Security after he is sworn in Jan. 3.

"Fixing our broken immigration system without securing our borders is like replacing the carpet while the roof is leaking. I've been saying for years that we need to secure our borders, improve how we keep track of those visiting our country legally, crack down on fraudulent documentation and deport criminal aliens by joining the Homeland Security committee, I will be a loud voice to fix our broken system," Barletta said.

"I've been battling the problems caused by illegal immigration for six and a half years so I will bring a unique perspective to the Homeland Security committee. I look forward to tackling these very serious problems and introducing legislation that strengthens our national security."

Back in July, Barletta called for hearings on immigration policy and as the one-time former mayor of Hazleton, in 2006, he tried to introduce a controversial Illegal Immigration Relief Act, which would have penalized businesses that knowingly hired illegal immigrants and landlords who knowingly rented to illegal immigrants. The city was sued and a judge heard the appeal in the case in August.

At a press conference earlier this year, Barletta criticized President Barack Obama's administration and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for improperly using "prosecutorial discretion" for granting indefinitely renewable two-year work permits to illegal immigrants.

The action, according to Barletta, granted "de facto amnesty" to as many as 1.4 million illegal immigrants. The action also prompted Barletta to ask leaders of the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees to hold investigative hearings on the Obama administration's ability to use prosecutorial discretion when deciding not to deport illegal immigrants.

Proponents of the administration's directive contended it would give undocumented immigrants the ability to work and live without fear of being deported.

The Committee on Homeland Security was established in 2002 to provide congressional oversight for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and better protect the American People against a possible attack. The committee has jurisdiction over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs Border Protection (CBP), Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) and the U.S. Coast Guard; border security programs including efforts to achieve operational control of the border; and border smuggling and trafficking of drugs, human, currency, weapons and other illicit materials. The committee also has jurisdiction over the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), counterterrorism efforts, cyber security, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and airport security, and more.

In the 113th Congress, Barletta will continue to serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Education and Workforce Committee. He will no longer be a member of the Committee on Small Business.

U.S. Rep. Barletta appointed to Homeland Security panel - News - Standard Speaker

Ah, at last, someone who understands the problem with illegal immigration.

Originally Posted by Jean

"Fixing our broken immigration system without securing our borders is like replacing the carpet while the roof is leaking. I've been saying for years that we need to secure our borders, improve how we keep track of those visiting our country legally, crack down on fraudulent documentation and deport criminal aliens by joining the Homeland Security committee, I will be a loud voice to fix our broken system," Barletta said.

That's good news. But the border cannot be sealed until the jobs lure is eliminated. Barletta needs to hear that universal E-Verify is the single most effective tool for eliminating the jobs lure.
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