FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 17, 2007

Isakson Optimistic Over Bipartisan Effort to Reach Compromise on Immigration
Says Final Bill Must Secure Borders First, Prohibit New Pathway to Citizenship

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) today expressed optimism over a bipartisan effort to reach a compromise on immigration legislation and again reiterated that any immigration reform bill must achieve two key principles at minimum: Require that the first step of comprehensive reform be to secure the U.S. borders and offer no new special pathway to citizenship for individuals who are in the United States illegally.

“The pressure is now on us. We have got to fix our broken borders. If Congress doesn’t appropriate the funds and the Secretary of Homeland Security doesn’t install the barriers, hire the agents, get the unmanned aerial vehicles in the sky or create a verifiable biometric identification card, there is no bill. This is a two-step process and the first step is to stop the problem,â€