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After holding more than twenty border security field hearings over the summer, the House came back from August recess, with a renewed commitment to strengthening our nation’s border security and cracking down on illegal immigration. Recommendations from the border security hearings were used to craft legislation that could make an immediate impact in keeping our country safe and secure. Over the past two weeks, the House has passed four separate bills that will help lock down our borders and give our law enforcement, immigration officers and Homeland Security Personnel the resources and the ability to enforce the law.
The Secure Fence Act of 2006 (H.R. 6061) will harden our nation’s borders to guard against the threat of terrorism and stem the flow of illegal immigration by authorizing 700 miles of two-layered reinforced fencing along the southwest border with prioritized placement at critical, highly populated areas and requiring an evaluation of infrastructure needs along the northern border. This bill also mandates that DHS achieve and maintain operational control over the entire border through a “virtual fence” that deploys cameras, ground sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles, and integrated surveillance technology. H.R. 6061 will require DHS to provide all necessary authority to border personnel to disable fleeing vehicles, similar to the authority held by the United States Coast Guard for maritime vessels.
The Community Protection Act (H.R. 6094) ensures that dangerous illegal immigrants who cannot be deported will not be released into society. Many illegal immigrants being detained by the Department of Homeland Security are unable to be deported for a variety of reasons. Yet under current law, DHS cannot detain these illegal immigrants for more than six months, even if the individual has committed a violent crime or represents a threat to national security. As a result, hundreds of criminals are released back onto our streets. This legislation allows such illegal immigrants to be detained for periods of six months at a time, and then allows for the period of detention to be renewed.
The Immigration Law Enforcement Act (H.R. 6095) reaffirms the inherent authority of state and local law enforcement to voluntarily investigate, identify, apprehend, arrest, detain and transfer to federal custody illegal immigrants. Many state and local law enforcement officers want to assist in the enforcement of immigration laws, and they can play a valuable role in assisting federal law immigration officers. H.R. 6095 authorizes an increase in the number of attorneys available to prosecute alien smuggling cases.
The Immigration Law Enforcement Act helps close loopholes that have hurt the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to enforce immigration laws. For example, an injunction dating from the El Salvadoran civil war of the 1980s prevents DHS from placing Salvadorans in expedited removal proceedings, even though the civil war has long since ended.
The Border Tunnel Prevention Act (H.R. 4830) enacts criminal penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment for individuals who knowingly construct or finance the construction of an unauthorized tunnel across a U.S. international border. In addition, individuals who recklessly permit the construction of such a tunnel on their own property are subject to imprisonment of up to 10 years. Individuals caught using such a tunnel to smuggle aliens, contraband, drugs, weapons, or terrorists are subject to twice the penalty that would have otherwise been imposed.
While, we want America to remain a welcoming nation, we also need to ensure those that do come here do so legally. These four bills, if passed by the Senate will help move us in the right direction toward improving our nation's immigration policies. |
