Issue Position: Immigration/Border Security

Issue Position

My Agenda:

- No amnesty

- Increase border security

- Eliminate bureaucratic red-tape in the immigration system

- With a secure border, institute a common-sense work permit system in our country

Encourage Legal Immigration

The United States is a nation of immigrants and was founded on ideals that honor this tradition. For generations, freedom-loving people from around the world have come to America to make a better life for themselves and their families. Immigrants wanting to join our citizenry should be encouraged and assisted in doing so the same way millions of immigrants have legally done so for generations.

No Amnesty

The government has a duty to secure our borders and ensure that those coming to our country do so legally. The U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement agency estimates that around 500,000 illegal immigrants enter the United States every year.

Illegal immigration poses an unacceptable threat to our national security and must not be allowed to continue. It is my belief that any and all attempts to enact immigration reform must not include amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Wrong Direction

In 2007, a group of Senators, along with President Bush, announced a "grand compromise" on an immigration reform proposal that grants amnesty to illegal immigrants. This bill would have provided illegal immigrants in-state tuition and the ability to get federally subsidized loans. Most disappointing to me is that the bill deviated away from where the real focus of this debate should be: securing our borders and creating a common-sense work permit program.

If we can secure our borders, we can build on solutions to strengthen our country and maintain our heritage of embracing legal immigration. We need to create a work permit program that eliminates bureaucratic red-tape and meets the evolving needs of industries like agriculture, landscaping, construction and tourism.

While we all agree there is a major need for immigration reform in the United States, this reform needs to ensure the security and economy of our nation is protected. On behalf of south-central Michigan, I will continue to push for secure borders and common-sense immigration reform.

Source