Thread: FB Rep on Illegal Immigration

This is a statement from Farmers Branch US Rep Kenny Marchant. I've been curious if he has ever made a direct statement about what is happening in a town within his district. He does not directly mention FB, and I'm not sure when this was posted.

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Illegal Immigration

A sampling of respondents to a recent survey on immigration, found that 81% of Texas District 24 residents view immigration reform as "very important." Although illegal immigration has become an issue for all of America, Texans have been on the frontline of this problem for decades.

Each year taxpayers are forced to carry the burden of illegal immigrants by paying for expenses like healthcare and housing. Many proponents of illegal immigrants are quick to point out the value they provide Americans by working in low paying production and agricultural jobs. However, these people fail to account for the large financial strain illegal aliens place on our national budget and the American taxpayer. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that in one year taxpayers spend $2.5 billion on Medicaid, $2.2 billion for healthcare coverage, $1.9 billion for food stamps and free school lunches, $1.6 billion for federal prison and court costs, and $1.4 billion for federal aid to schools. In order to stop this needless spending, we must secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws.

I have always believed granting amnesty to illegal immigrants is the wrong policy. Bolstering technology, increasing federal resources, and utilizing National Guard troops along the U.S./Mexico border, are all logical and necessary measures to shore up our open borders. The military's purpose is to defend our nation, protect our freedom, and preserve our democracy. There is no greater role for our troops than to shield America from threats to its homeland-whether they are along our nation's borders, coastlines, ports of entry, or abroad. I am encouraged that 6,000 National Guard troops are being deployed to our southern border. Republicans in Congress have also worked with the President to increase the number of Border Patrol Agents by an additional 6,000 by the end of 2008, doubling the size since 2000.

In addition to more boots on the ground, the number of federal prosecutors along the southwest border has been increased to over 550 in the last six years. We have also added 4,000 additional detention beds to complement federal prosecutors in expediting holding, review, and removal of illegal aliens detained in our country. Furthermore, we have ended "catch and release" policies by insuring dangerous aliens can be deported as opposed to being released back into society. 100% of aliens apprehended at the border are now being detained and deported.

Becoming a U.S. citizen and earning the rights associated with this title, are privileges. Immigrants hoping to achieve citizenship must be willing to work through the proper procedures. As a member of the Immigration Reform Caucus, I will continue my work against rewarding amnesty to illegal immigrants who have broken American law. The best solution to this problem however, is a secure border and vigilant public. I am pleased to report that the private sector is now actively working with federal agencies by implementing new security systems to monitor the Mexican border. The Department of Homeland Security has announced it is partnering with Boeing to construct surveillance towers similar to those already being used to monitor the borders of Israel. This Secure Border Initiative (SBInet) program will be a comprehensive system of detection, identification, classification, and response by law enforcement to illegal immigration. Operations such as these are essential to securing our borders.

Despite our progress, there is more work to be done. We can not secure this nation without first securing our borders.

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Clearly the issue is not THAT important, at least to the Democratic leadership. They have yet to address it.

For what we spend on illegals a year we could build a triple layer fence and hire new border agents. We have the technology to gather up the illegals and deport them within a year.

Our government has the technology to enforce the law, but no desire to do so.