Thread: Letter from Brian Bilbray

Dear Mr. :

Thank you for your insight and past interest regarding illegal immigration. Knowing your keen interest on this issue, I wanted to update you on the latest immigration development on Capitol Hill.

As you all know, on May 9, 2007, Senate Democrats and some Senate Republicans forged a "grand bargain" and introduced S. 1348, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act. The bill was simply an amnesty bill that would have rewarded 12-20 million plus illegal immigran ts with a path to citizenship.

I am relieved to report that on June 28, 2007, S. 1348 "the Senate amnesty bill", died when it failed to reach the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture to end debate and move to a vote on final passage. The final vote for cloture was 46-53. This outcome was possible only with the dedicated and impassioned efforts by citizens, local organizations, advocacy groups, and elected officials from all levels of government.

The Senate should have learned the lessons of the 1986 amnesty debacle. We granted amnesty to more than three million illegal immigrants, and subsequently paid the dear price of seeing the rate of illegal immigration skyrocket when the 1986 grandiose promises of border security and employer verification went unfulfilled and unenforced.

S. 1348 failed in large part because of vigorous grassroots opposition coupled with political pressure applied here in Washington , D.C. Let me be absolutely clear, this is only a minor victory. The defeat of the Senate amnesty bill is not an excuse for Congress to do nothing, especially when we have reached a broad consensus on the need to address employer verification, interior enforcement and border security. We must renew our commitment to crafting a viable and effective solution as soon as possible.

Solutions to our illegal immigration problem will obviously be complex, but we must have the will to address our illegal immigration crisis with disciplined and effective new approaches. If the principle of law is to have any meaning, then we can not allow untold numbers of illegal immigrants to once again flood our country in pursuit of jobs. The eyes of Mexico , Central and South America are watching, and we can not give them the green light.

In response to this critical problem, I am a proud original co-sponsor of H.R. 2954, the Secure Borders FIRST (For Integrity, Reform, Safety, and anti-Terrorism) Act , a bill introduced by Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY) . The Secure Borders FIRST Act would mandate operational control of all our borders and ensure better enforcement of current U.S. immigration laws. H.R. 2954 is premised around the following four principles:

1) Secure the Border First

2) No Amnesty - any legalization of an illegal alien residing in the United States

3) Enforce U.S. Immigration Laws

4) Make English the National Official Language

It is unconscionable for supporters of amnesty to mortgage the future of our nation for political gains. The practice of rewarding illegal behavior and ignoring current immigration laws must end. It is irreconcilable to believe that we can grant amnesty fi rst and then enforce the law second. The history and reality of 1986 has taught all of us this truth. Stated simply, "what part of 'illegal' do people not understand?"


Moreover, we can also help solve the problem of illegal immigration by passing and enacting H.R. 98, the Illegal Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act. I am also a proud original co-sponsor of this bill, introduced by Rep. David Drier (R-CA) on January 4, 2007. H.R. 98 would implement strict border security, employer verification with biometric Social Security cards, effective interior enforcement and birthright citizenship reform. Employers need the tools to verify who is eligible for employment and who is not, and a biometric Social Security card is part of the solution. A universal, non-discriminatory and tamper-resistant Social Security card is a practical solution that would also prevent racial profiling since all Americans would carry the same identification.



As the Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus (IRC) I will continue to fight and oppose any grant of amnesty . We must enforce our immigration laws , o therwise we will devastate our country for generations to come. It is imperative to have this difficult public debate so the American people can hold accountable those who insist on selling out the United States of America . Your invaluable support has helped defeat the disastrous Senate amnesty bill and has ke pt this issue on the forefront of the American consciousness. Please continue to voice your opposition to any grant of amnesty and to those who insist on repeating the mistakes of 1986.



Again, thank you very much for your unwavering support, efforts and passion in our fight against illegal immigration. Thank you for contacting me, and if you have any questions, please feel free to call me or my office at (202) 225-0508.


Sincerely,


Brian Bilbray
Member of Congress

Thank God for people like Bilbray