Douglas Alexander: “I am in support of the President's nominee, Judge Michael Chertoff. He seems to have worked for almost every part of the…”

“I am in support of the President's nominee, Judge Michael Chertoff. He seems to have worked for almost every part of the Federal Government, including this body. As Secretary of Homeland Security, Judge Chertoff will play a very important and visible role in our everyday lives, protecting us from terrorism, but my purpose today is to highlight another job he has. He is also the chief immigration officer. As Secretary, he will oversee the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, the successor to the INS, which manages immigration in this country. This job of Judge Chertoff is not primarily about keeping people out of the United States; it is also about welcoming new Americans into the United States. The numbers are down some since 2001, but as many as 1 million immigrants become new American citizens each year. I have attended a number of the ceremonies which are held in Federal courthouses all over America every month to welcome and naturalize these new citizens.”