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Immigration
Securing Our Borders
Immigration is a hot button issue that Alaskans care
about. This is also an issue that I have cared about
throughout my career. While the United States has provided
a way for millions of immigrants to pursue the "American
dream" since its founding, the practice of illegal immigration
threatens the security of our Nation and the safety
of our citizens. Most of us would never allow a complete
stranger into our home and risk the safety of our loved
ones. But, by failing to secure our borders, we are
allowing individuals without any documentation as to
their identity or history, to freely live among us,
drive on our streets, and patronize our stores. We need
to know who is crossing our borders each day and with
the influx in gang members and violent criminals flowing
into our country, there is an increase in illegal drugs
and narcotics. I will continue to support legislative
efforts to secure our borders and provide for a safer
America.
The United States has provided various nationalities a refuge to pursue the “American Dream.” However, in the wake of September 11, 2001, immigration policies needed an extensive overhaul to assure national security. Recently passed laws in Arizona have sparked national controversy as to the future of our nation’s immigration laws.
Following widespread public attention to newly enacted immigration laws in Arizona, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has crafted a basic outline for upcoming immigration reform legislation. Although no tangible bill has yet to be introduced in either the House or Senate, the published framework consists of four major points: (1) requiring biometric Social Security cards to guarantee that illegal workers cannot get jobs; (2) increased funding to Border Patrol for infrastructure and personnel needs; (3) improve the process for admitting temporary workers; and (4) implementing a “tough but fair path to legalization for those already here.” *(see footnote)
The United States offer many foreign nationals a chance to improve their lives. However, I will continue to only support methods which promote legal acquisition of American jobs and citizenship. I strongly support employee verification methods advocated in the aforementioned framework. Likewise, I believe our Border Security personnel deserve increased support in terms of funding and jurisdiction. However, blanket amnesty for all illegals currently living here is not the answer. If and when a tangible immigration reform bill is produced, rest assured I will scrutinize its contents in order to best represent the interests of hardworking Alaskans and Americans nationwide.
I believe in producing results instead of promises.
Here are just a few of the things which I have been
working on as your Representative in Congress.
Coming to America
There are enough incentives for people to cross our
borders illegally, we shouldn't be providing more. I
do not support giving social security benefits, free
health care, and driver's licenses to those who have
broken the law to come here. It's unfair to those individuals
who have followed the rules and legally entered our
country. The legal path to citizenship is lengthy and
frustrating but I believe that in order to slow down
the illegal immigration problem, we need to make the
legal immigration process faster and more efficient.
Moreover, we must strengthen our border security and
provide tools for states and local communities to help
federal law enforcement agencies identify and remove
these criminal illegal aliens hiding in our midst.
Bills Pass by the House and Voted For
H.R. 1029 - Alien Smuggling and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2009
This bill would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to check against all available terrorist watch lists persons suspected of alien smuggling and smuggled individuals who are interdicted at U.S. land, air, and sea borders.
H.R. 1148 – Mobile Biometric Identification Maritime Enforcement
This bill would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to: conduct in the maritime environment a program for the mobile biometric identification of suspected individuals, including terrorists, to enhance border security. This legislation will included a deployment plan that gives priority to vessels and units more likely to encounter individuals suspected of making unlawful border crossings through the maritime environment.
H.R. 1299 – U.S. Capitol Police Technical Corrections Act of 2009
This bill would amend the provision included in Section 9 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish and collect a fee for the use of an electronic data sharing system concerning the admissibility of certain aliens into the United States that will ensure recovery of the full costs of providing and administering such system.
Bills Cosponsored
H.R. 124 – Secure Act
This bill would prohibit an office of the legislative branch from entering into a contract for goods or services within the Capitol Complex with any contractor employing individuals unless the contractor elects to participate in the basic pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.
H.R. 2406 – Charlie Norwood CLEAR Act of 2009
This bill would mandate the federal government to pick up every illegal alien apprehended by local authorities, and it would pay local police and sheriff's departments for detaining the illegal aliens.
H.R. 3308 - SAVE Act of 2009
This bill would set forth border security and enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting: increases in Border Patrol and investigative personnel, recruitment of former military personnel, infrastructure improvements, aerial and other surveillance, and a national strategy to secure the borders
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