CHAMBLISS IMMIGRATION UPDATE

I know that Georgians are anxious for an update regarding action on immigration reform. Folks have contacted my office over the course of many, many months expressing frustration with the immigration situation facing our nation and rightfully so.

Over the past few months, I have been part of a group of senators who have met regularly to negotiate this issue. My top priority in this debate is border security, because if we do not secure the border then we will fail to address a serious national security issue and we will fail to prevent future illegal immigration.

Second, I will not support amnesty. I opposed the bill approved by the Senate last year because it put a greater emphasis on providing a pathway to citizenship for people who are here illegally than it did on border security, and that is the wrong approach.

Third, if the U.S. economy is to continue to grow, we must create temporary worker programs that enable employers to fill jobs that no American citizen will take. Further, we must ensure that American workers and American wages are not harmed by a temporary worker program. Employers must be provided with a fool-proof verification system to ensure that prospective employees are legal, and once this system is created, employers who refuse to verify the status of their employees or who knowingly hire illegal workers should be severely punished.

Immigration is a federal issue, and that is why Congress needs to act now to implement comprehensive immigration reform that is responsible, reasonable, and respects the rule of law.