Mr. Gheen,
Congressman Pittenger is opposed to amnesty.
We were surprised to learn from your recent post that FWD.us is announcing that Congressman Pittenger supports “their illegal alien amnesty plans.” Congressman Pittenger has consistently opposed amnesty, and just this past weekend sent the following newsletter to constituents. The second article details his position on immigration (border security FIRST, no amnesty, step-by-step approach instead of a massive Obamacare-like failure).
I’ll let you read his statement in his own words so that you are fully informed and understand Congressman Pittenger’s position.
We would appreciate you publishing his position in its entirety to clear up any confusion caused by the FWD.us e-mail.
Cordially,
Jamie Bowers
Communications Director
.....
Immigration Reform: Secure the Borders First
http://2013-NC09.congressnewsletter....20Ceremony.jpg |
Congressman Pittenger is a strong supporter of legal immigration. In 2013, Congressman Pittenger became the first-ever Congressman to participate in a naturalization ceremony at the Federal Courthouse in Charlotte. Click here for photos. |
According to the Government Accountability Office,
forty percent of immigrants who cross the border illegally are never caught.
Our porous borders are a big reason why previous immigration reform has failed miserably and why many current proposals will also fail.
Successful immigration reform must start with securing the borders. Until the borders are secure – and border states and local law enforcement participate in the certification – further immigration reform is just a waste of time.
Once the borders are secure:
- Congress must implement a fully-functional entry-exit visa tracking system
- Modernize the employment verification and workplace enforcement process
- Reform the legal immigration system to address economic growth and job creation opportunities.
Additional, necessary reforms to immigration policy should be considered once these initial steps have been successfully completed.
Immigration reform should not include amnesty. America is a nation of laws, and we function best when we apply those laws fairly and consistently. Those who entered our country illegally made the choice to break the law, and understood there would be consequences.
America’s immigration system is badly broken, but Obamacare shows that massive pieces of comprehensive legislation frequently create more problems than they fix.
Immigration reform is too complex and too important to suffer the chaos of massive legislation that few read and fewer understand.
The House Republican Conference has adopted a set of principles to guide immigration reform which closely mirror the positions I have advocated for more than a year. While no specific details or legislation have been worked out, I am encouraged we are moving in the right direction.
A step-by-step approach is necessary to avoid unintended consequences.