Thread: Illegal immig. needs to be addressed with several methods

Illegal immigration needs to be addressed through several methods
Zack Space

I have always been a strong supporter of protecting American jobs -- especially from people who come here illegally to take those jobs. It is obvious to anyone who lives and works in rural Ohio that we have an illegal immigration crisis. There are Americans who go without work, and there are illegal immigrants who receive benefits provided by a system that they do not pay into. I have always believed this was wrong.

But traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border recently has given me a much more comprehensive view of this crisis. I went to Tucson, Arizona and El Paso, Texas, where I visited with Border Patrol agents, inspected police facilities, and ventured out along the border.

Despite the Border Patrol agents' best efforts, the flow of illegal immigrants into our country continues virtually unabated, and that is completely unacceptable.

I saw smugglers sitting just inside Mexico with radios that they would use to alert others when Border Patrol agents approach. I learned that smugglers must be caught with 500 pounds of marijuana before they would be arrested and prosecuted. I witnessed people climbing over rudimentary barriers with little trouble -- anything less and they are turned loose. This was an eye-opening experience that revealed to me just how porous our border really is.
The Border Patrol agents I met who are down there guarding the border are some of the most dedicated, hard-working people I have met. They do the absolute best with the limited resources they have, but they are tasked with an impossible mission. They do not have the legal and technological tools, the manpower, or the international support to stem the tide of illegal immigrants wishing to cross our border.

This is not only an economic issue, but one of national security. If someone wants to enter our country with the intent of doing harm, there is little standing in the person's way. Every day that people are allowed unfettered access to our country is another day we run the risk of allowing a terrorist in.

As I have said from the very beginning, we must remove both their ability to get here as well as their desire to come.

All immigration reform must start with securing our borders. That is a no-brainer. We need to construct barriers, invest in new technology, and hire more Border Patrol agents to physically prevent people from entering the country illegally.

Secondly, we must increase enforcement and punishment for employers who hire undocumented workers. If there are no jobs to be had, there will be no reason to come here.

And finally, we must make America the land of inopportunity for illegal immigrants by enforcing the laws we have on the books preventing them from receiving government assistance. If you have not paid into the system, you should not be able to take from it.

We have made some significant strides in Congress in the last year toward dealing with this problem. I have joined my colleagues in Congress in passing legislation that will provide 3,000 more Border Patrol agents, help fund states in their efforts to jail undocumented aliens, and crack down on alien smuggling, but these bills do not go far enough.

I have signed onto a bill called the Secure America with Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act. This bill is a simple three-part plan to deal with our illegal immigration crisis. It strengthens the border, increases employer verification and cracks down on interior enforcement.

We still have a long way to go before we begin to stem the tide of illegal immigration, and I will take what I have learned from my border mission back to Washington to push for much stronger enforcement through measures like the SAVE Act. We simply cannot afford to wait any longer.

Zack Space is the representative for Ohio's 18th congressional district.
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs ... 14/OPINION

Why don't we start with our government actually telling illegals they are breaking the law and should go home. So far our government has been so touchy feely toward the illegals, they know the government is on their side. They have little to fear.

Stop the insanity of talking about 'american born children', or the amount of drugs one must smuggle in before they are charged, of prosecuting LE for doing their jobs - before we decide to spend billions and billions of dollars on a fence that might or might not work - and at a mile a day will take years to build.

Explain in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese - all dialects, French, Gaelic, Swahili, whatever language the illegals speak that they are here illegally and they are breaking the law and they should return home with all due speed.

Then begin enforcing the law - do something - anything.

The government isn't toughy-feely with them, they are out and out inviting them here, what with all the freebies they get.

Why is it I need 10 forms of ID to buy something, get something in my own country and an illegal can get anything with a fake ID, think about that and it will show you the allowances the government is giving to illegals.

I remember a few years ago, I couldn't even open a bank account using a valid US passport as an ID. Yet an illegal can use a face DL or birth certificate and do the same. WTF is that? The government favors illegals over citizens.

Of course, they are inviting them here - but they handle them with kids gloves when they get here. I wasn't talking about their getting here - but our government's attitude once they are here.

1.) NO JOBS...enforce hiring laws.

2.) NO SERVICES....no free health care, no welfare, no food stamps.

3) NO MORE ANCHORS.....citizenship should only be for legal immigrants.

4.) BUILD THE WALL already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!