Rubio Applauds Committee Approval Of Amendments To Strengthen Tracking Of Visa Overstays & Add Biometric Exit System

Statement

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released the following statement on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary passing Graham 2 and Hatch 6, amendments to S. 744, the "Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act" adding a biometric exit system:

"Currently, 40 percent of the people here illegally are people who overstayed their visas. To make the immigration bill's enforcement mechanisms effective and ensure we do not repeat the same mistakes, we need to include the best possible tracking and exit system possible. I am glad the Judiciary Committee strengthened the legislation by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to more vigorously track, pursue and remove persons who overstay their visas. I also applaud the committee for adding biometrics to the new exit system after voting against a biometric exit system feature last week. The amendment adopted today is a good start and I will continue to fight to make the tracking of entries and exits include biometrics in the most effective system we can build when the bill is amended on the Senate floor. If we have an exit system that utilizes biometric information, it will help make sure that future visitors to the United States leave when they are supposed to."

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