i got this in the mail the other day....

Thank you for contacting me regarding immigration reform and border security. i appreciate knowing your views and for the opportunity to explain my position

One of the most important aspects of immigration reform is enforcement. Our experiences with current immigration laws have proven outdated or unrealistic laws that are unenforceable. In recent years we have more than doubled the number of agents patrolling our border and quintupled the border patrol budget all in an effort to enforce current immigration laws, yet illegal immigration has drastically increased. Rather than dismiss border and immigration enforcement as an impossibility, we should enact comprehensive immigration reform measure that promote strong border security and enforcement wile also recognizing the labor needs of our country.

I have been working with many of my colleagues, as well as president bush, to pass legislation to fix the broken immigration system and will continue to do so until we get the job done. During the last congress, I introduced the Secure American and Orderly Immigration Act, a bipartisan and comprehensive immigration reform bill that inckluded stong border security and enforcement provisions. Major elements of our bill were incorporated into s.2611, the comprehensive immigration reform act, which passed the senate on may 25,2006. Unfortunately, the house of representatives refused to address immigration reform in a comprehensive manner and we were unable to reach and agreement to get a bill to the president's desk.

I remain hopeful that the 100th congress will seize the opportunity to finally enact immigration reform legislation. I consider it to be one of the most critical elements to our national security efforts. It must provide for stronger border security and enforcement provisions and strengthen the laws and penalties against those who hire undocumented workers. Such legislation must also meet the legitimate labor needs of our nation so that jobs that would otherwise go unfulfilled can be filled.

One of the most challenging issues for any immigration reform measure is how to address the undocumented population. This is a very difficult challenge that attracts a wide range of diverse views. In my judgement, we need practical solutions for dealing with the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants currently living and working in our country. and it needs to be carried out in a manner that fosters the social, economic, and security interest of the united states.

Let me be clear, i do not support amnesty. We can't reward lawbreakers, but we also have to deal with the reality of this enormous undocumented population. Considering our national interest in identifying these individuals and our inability to round up and deport all of them, we must provide them with incentives to come forward, complete background checks, pay any owed taxes and stiff penalties for breaking the law, learn to speak english, and regularize their status.

The complex and different problems associated with immigration and border security are among the toughest challenges facing our nation today and can not be solved overnight or in a piecemeal manner. I WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO ADVANCE COMPREHENSIvE IMMIGRATION REFORM UNTIL IT IS ENACTED INTO LAW.

Again, thank you for contacting me. please feel free to contact me on this or any other issue of concern.