Representing North Carolina’s Ninth District                                                                        

“Real” Immigration Legislation

Our immigration system is in chaos.  Each month, thousands of immigrants cross our borders illegally.  We cannot keep track of all these people, or the ones who are living in our country.  Our national security is at risk because we have not taken the proper steps to secure our borders and identify illegal immigrants living here.

I have no problem with any immigrant who comes to this country to find a better life, but they must follow our laws.  I, however, do not support amnesty or any bending of the rules to help one group of people over the next. 

There is a process immigrants must follow, and if they want to live here they must get in line like everyone else.  Our laws are important because they help us distinguish those who want to live here to contribute, versus terrorists who want to exploit and hurt us. 

Last December, Congress passed, and President Bush signed into law, the National Intelligence Reform Act.  I voted against it.  The legislation was suppose to address national security concerns raised by the 9/11 Commission, but it left out key reforms to  immigration.  I am of the belief that if the legislation is going to have the word “Reform” in its title, it should actually fix problems.  This law did not contain a single provision to prevent what happened on 9/11 from happening again.

In order to fix the immigration problems left out of the new law, I co-sponsored, and voted for, the Real ID Act, which passed the House last week.  The Real ID Act has one goal: to improve national security by disrupting terrorist travel across our borders, and in the United States.

On 9/11, 11 of the hijackers had 19 forms of valid identification.  The Real ID Act will make it harder for terrorists to obtain driver’s licenses and I.D.’s by creating a minimum security standard for obtaining licenses and I.D.’s.  It will make sure that you are who you say you are.  This bill also establishes that when a foreign visitor’s visa expires; so does their temporary driver’s license. 

This legislation will also tighten our asylum system, which has been abused by terrorists.  If you will remember, Ramzi Yousef planned the first World Trade Center bombing while free on asylum in our country.  The Act reduces the opportunity for immigration fraud so we can protect honest asylum seekers, and stop rewarding the terrorists and criminals who falsely claim persecution. 

Finally, the Real ID Act contains a provision that helps protect Americans from terrorists in the U.S.  Under current law, we can keep people out of the U.S. for terrorist activity.  However, we don’t have the power to deport a person who lives in the U.S. and is involved in terrorist activities.  The Real ID Act would fix this so we can deport anyone involved in terrorist-related activities.  It is just common sense.

The Real ID Act reforms our laws to protect us from terrorists.  I will continue to support legislation that protects our borders, and reforms our immigration laws, so that we can prevent another 9/11 attack from happening again.}

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