http://www.house.gov/sensenbrenner/wc20060329.html
March 29, 2006 Raj Bharwani
588 Words (202) 225-5101
US Citizenship Not For Sale
Border security and immigration reform are among the toughest and most complex government policy issues I’ve ever had to grapple with. In order to arrive at a policy that reflects that we are both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws, we require a civil, careful, and thoughtful discussion. As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, I have attempted to address this problem in a comprehensive manner because the people of Wisconsin, and the vast majority of Americans, are more than ready for an overhaul of our country’s policy toward illegal aliens.
Last year, I introduced the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act (HR 4437), which passed the House of Representatives in December. The Senate is currently deliberating its version of an immigration bill, which by all accounts, appears to be headed in the wrong direction.
The bill that passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 27 repeats the mistakes made 20 years ago when we provided amnesty to illegal aliens and let unethical businesses off the hook. The Senate bill includes amnesty for the 11 to 12 million undocumented aliens in the US who have managed to elude the authorities. This is a slap in the face to those who are following the law and taking the right steps to enter this country. The Senate proposal absolves the wrongdoers and penalizes those who are obeying the law. I do not accept the claim made by some that this is not amnesty because among other things, illegal aliens would have to pay two fines of $1,000 each. It is offensive to me to think we have legislators who are considering selling US citizenship for $2,000. US citizenship is not for sale. It is a privilege bestowed upon those who appreciate its value, and who contribute to our nation by living in a manner that reflects the principles and ideology of being an American. When someone’s first step in this country is taken in direct violation of our laws, I cannot support a process that allows them to continue residing in the US, while others wait up to 20 years outside the US before they are able to take their first step into this country legally.
To end this migration of illegal aliens into the US, we must stop the businesses that hire them. Without employment opportunities, people will be less likely to break the law to enter this country. Moreover, companies that hire legal residents are placed at a disadvantage when compared to those that hire illegal aliens because they have to pay a higher wage to their employees. In order to survive, many of these ‘legitimate’ businesses have to depress their employees’ wages just to remain competitive with the companies that hire illegal aliens. This is bad for all the people involved, and it is bad for our economy. To address this, my bill requires businesses to verify the accuracy of employees’ social security numbers, and raises the penalties assessed to corporations that hire undocumented workers from $250 per illegal alien to $5,000 for first-time offenses.
It is time to tone down the rhetoric, and come to an understanding on this issue. We need to look at what Congress has done in the past, and learn from our mistakes because the current system isn’t working. Having 10,000 or 100,000 people marching in the streets of our nation might make for good television, but it doesn’t provide a solution.
