The Coalition of the Swilling

Dear Ms. th sister:

Thank you for contacting me with your support for legislation that would strengthen our border security to stop the flow of illegal immigrants entering the United States. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to take this opportunity to respond.

I strongly believe that to protect our homeland and halt the flow of illegal immigrants, we must strengthen our borders. I also understand that any new immigration law passed by Congress must first and foremost seal our southern border with Mexico to stem the constant stream of illegal immigrants who enter our country daily.

On October 28, 2005, President George W. Bush signed into law the Homeland Security Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2006 (P.L. 109-90), which includes more than $30 billion for national security. It specifically set aside $2.3 billion for the Border Patrol to improve and expand its stations, to install and improve fencing, lighting, and vehicle barriers along the border and to acquire technologies, such as portable imaging machines, sensors and automated targeting systems that focus on high-risk travelers and goods.

Securing our borders and enforcing existing immigration laws must be our top priorities. As the Senate considers the President’s fiscal year 2007 budget request and comprehensive immigration legislation, I will work with my colleagues to ensure substantial resources are made available to the Department of Homeland Security and the Border Patrol.

American employers also need to take responsibility when determining the immigration status of individuals they hire. Too often illegal immigrants attempt to enter the United States chasing employment from unscrupulous employers who accept fraudulent citizenship documents. This hurts both American workers and immigrants whose sole aim is to work hard and get ahead. It is imperative that we implement a simple, fool-proof, and mandatory mechanism for all employers to check the legal status of new hires, and we must penalize employers that continue to hire illegal employees.

In addition to tightening border security, we must obtain better information regarding the illegals living here because it is critical to our national security to know who is living within our borders. Our estimated illegal population is equivalent to the population of Ohio. If we hope to bring 11 million illegal immigrants out of hiding we must provide them with the proper incentive to come forward. We cannot offer amnesty; instead, I believe we must establish a way for those with jobs to gain interim legal status to work after paying stiff fines, back taxes, and clearing a background check.

Thank you for sharing your thoughtful comments with me. As the Senate considers this important issue, I will keep your views in mind. If you have any additional comments, please contact me. For more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.

Sincerely,

Mel Martinez
United States Senator