Posted on 01/28/2013 2:34:37 PM PST by mdittmar
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today delivered the following statement on the bipartisan framework for comprehensive immigration reform released today with Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ):
“The introduction of these principles is the first step in what will be a very difficult, but achievable, reform to our immigration system.
“No one here needs reminding that the last major attempt at immigration reform was over six years ago. Now we will again attempt to commit the remaining resources needed to secure the border, modernize and streamline our current immigration system, and create a tough but fair path to citizenship for those here illegally.
“I am the first to admit that the security situation along the southwest border is not perfect. There remain several areas, particularly in Arizona, where people’s homes are being invaded, where drug smugglers are crossing property every night. These citizens deserve the same level of security that all of us standing here have. But there is no question there has been a significant reduction in illegal crossings over the past five years. Apprehensions of illegal immigrants by the Border Patrol have dropped 70 percent from 2005 to 2012 – from 1,189,075 down to 340,252. But as we all acknowledge, the work is not yet complete.
“Greater focus needs to be paid to drug traffickers and criminals that cross the border. Arizona continues to be a major smuggling corridor and distribution hub for drug trafficking organizations. According to the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, 36 percent of marijuana seizures along the Southwest border happen in Arizona. Often, scouts and spotters employed by drug cartels are used to assist backpackers hauling drugs through the Western Desert.
“To combat this, we need to continue to invest in UAVs, radar, and other proven surveillance systems that will give Border Patrol the ability to detect and apprehend all illegal entries into the United States. This is achievable and can be completed within the next few years if we truly commit to it.
“After the border is secure, the next most important step to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of 1986 immigration reform is to build out a nation-wide electronic employment verification system that will end the hiring of future unauthorized workers. Coupled with increased fines on employers that knowingly hire illegal workers, I believe we will be able to effectively shut off the magnet that attracts illegal workers to the U.S.
“Just as critical, we will put in place a legal worker program to provide a humane and effective system that allows immigrant workers to enter the country without seeking the aid of human traffickers or drug cartels. Any immigration legislation that passes Congress must establish practical legal channels for workers to enter the United States – whether they are high skill, low skill, or agriculture workers, so we can free up federal officials to focus on those individuals truly intending to do our nation harm through drug smuggling, people trafficking and possibly terrorism.
“Providing an expedited path to citizenship for DREAMers, developing a measurement to determine when the border is truly secure, reforming our future immigration system to better meet the needs of our employers, ensuring an entry-exit system to combat visa overstays, and creating a program that makes certain U.S. agriculture has the necessary workers to maintain America’s food supply, are just some of the issues that we have committed to addressing – and solving – in a bipartisan manner.
“And, finally, we come to the most controversial piece of immigration reform. That is how to deal with the approximately 11 million people living in the United States outside of legal status.
“What is going on now is not acceptable. In reality, what has been created is a defacto-amnesty. We, the American people, have been too content for too long to allow individuals to mow our lawn, serve us food, clean our homes and even watch our children while not affording them any of the benefits that make our country so great.
“I think everyone here agrees that it is not beneficial for our country to have these people here hidden in the shadows. Let’s create a system to bring them forward, allow them to settle their debt to society and fulfill the necessary requirements to become law abiding citizens of this country. This is consistent with our countries tradition of being a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”
The number of illegal aliens in America. The only number the commie libs don’t jack up. Every time they make a push for amnesty, they reduce it by 5 to 10 million. Since the Kenyan has been in the White House, the number has gone from 30 million to 11 million.
We are watching Cloward Piven against normal .Americans.
They are hitting us with everything, guns, immigration, Benghazi, and basically daring us to be able to fight back.
Divide and conquer and relentlessly press their goals to get even an incremental,gain.
That bastard McCain ran as a conservative in 2010, and was re-elected by Arizona. That deception works every time for him. .then he gets back to DC and becomes a Democrat.
We were supposed to get a PHYSICAL wall last time, but that was undone by ONE Senator—a Republican—Kay Bailey Hutchison.
So, why should we believe anything from him or DC?
Where it is written that 95% of immigrants have to be Hispanic?
You would think the GOP learned something from 2007.
Goaded on by Democrats, the GOP wants reform, and why do they think the Hispanics are going to vote for them?
They haven’t since the last immigration fiasco in 1986.
Seeing Menedez up there grinning like a Cheshire Cat today at the presses, can’t wait to get back to his underage Dominican prostitutes and get them a green card.
Hey, John McCain, you Manchurian Candidate you, go F yourself!
Sen McCain: “My friends who followed the rules and came to America legally - SUCKS TO BE YOU, HUH?”
#4
I would say McCain is on the same side he has always been on:
His. Whatever that happens to be at any given moment.
I want to see a complete change of immigration reform....
babies must have one American parent at birth, English is the official language and all voting will be in English. Curb the number of individuals that can come in with a legal immigrant. For those in the line legally we need to cut the number annually, keep percentages from different countries the same and then in five years cut the number that came through amnesty from each country by the ones that are legally awarded annually.
Work permits are fine but they must have medical reimbursement from employers.
Also, we must address all the “American” citizens who are living abroad permanently until a catastrophe happens and then we are responsible to get them out safely. They don’t pay taxes generally, but have the birth certificate.
Let’s get tough America....but, we have the wrong President and Congress to do the hard work.
My husband had a thought today to explore. When countries fall, the ones hurt the worst are the ones that allowed the fall. The next generation might be slaves of sort and then they have a chance to prosper if they do the right thing.
Of course I'm joking because Democrats would attack Republicans for not going far enough. As usual.
Hanoi John McCain strikes again....
Illegal Alien Amnesty is Anti-American Bigotry
The GOP will be taken down from within by Amnesty Liberals
The last time John came up for election, I voted for the democrat. Knew it wouldn’t do any good, but it was all I could do. All my other votes were for Republicans...but I figured we were going to get a democrat no matter which one won the Senate race...
Every day by way of twitter I’m sending my senators and congressman the name of an American killed by an illegal alien in my state in recent years. Twitter is great because my followers can see it and the recipient’s followers can see it too.
Lenin and Stupidcow are silent but my congressman has thanked me for every one.
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Operation_Wetback
That was the only operation that worked, and sealed the Borders for a few years. This PC congress could not get anything like that passed. Yes it is "deja vu all over again"
John McCain, Schumer, Grahamnesty, Durbin, and Menendez are all overt criminals.
Why Rubio would want to soil himself with this den of thieves should give pause to any of his fans.
That's mighty white of him...
Dem and Republican elites favor ‘immigration reform’ - but citizens of both parties don’t like it.
That tells me the payoff, skim, kickbacks, political ‘donations’ etc. are big. The person greasing the hands of our reps? I’d like to know...
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