Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005

BORDER PROTECTION, ANTITERRORISM, AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CONTROL ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - December 16, 2005)

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Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I would like to express my strong opposition to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005.

While I believe that immigration reform is urgently needed and must include strong and effective enforcement provisions, this legislation will not solve our Nation's immigration problems. It fails to address many of the most important elements of immigration reform, including backlogs in family visas, regulation of the future flow of immigrants, and the presence of a sizable undocumented community in the United States. Instead it harms American families, businesses, and communities. Its impact on the Latino and immigrant communities would also be devastating.

Among the many anti-immigrant measures in H.R. 4437 are provisions that would: (1) strip citizenship opportunities that are currently available to legal immigrants; (2) curtail crucial due process rights in immigration proceedings; (3) make it a criminal offense to remain in the country illegally after entering legally; and (4) deputize local law enforcement officials to enforce Federal immigration laws over the objections of many such officials, who believe that this authority undercuts their ability to protect the public safety.

This enforcement-only approach has not worked in the past and will not work in the future if it is not combined with measures that address the 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the country. That is why I support and have cosponsored H.R. 2330, the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill sponsored by Representatives JIM KOLBE, JEFF FLAKE, and LUIS GUTIERREZ. This bill combines tough enforcement with realistic admission policies, has bipartisan support, and is workable.

All Americans want effective reforms of the Nation's immigration laws, not shortsighted measures that appear tough on immigration but do not resolve the underlying problems. Only a comprehensive approach that provides a path to citizenship for current undocumented immigrants, creates new legal channels for future flows of needed immigrants, reduces family immigration backlogs, and protects worker rights will reduce undocumented immigration and bring order to our immigration system. H.R. 4437 does not take us down the path of real immigration reform.

I stand should-to-shoulder with groups like the AFL-CIO, ACLU, Anti-Defamation League, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Human Rights Watch, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, MALDEF, and National Council of La Raza.

I ask that all my colleagues join me in my opposition to this flawed immigration bill.

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