Bob Filner: “I rise today in support of the Border Patrol amendment to the Omnibus Crime Control Act, H.R. 4092. Although there are…”

“I rise today in support of the Border Patrol amendment to the Omnibus Crime Control Act, H.R. 4092. Although there are many fine provisions in the crime bill, one important element has not been addressed: the critical need for border security. My congressional district is a border district, with all the benefits and all the problems that go along with it. Many of my constituents are living with conditions that no one in this Chamber would put up with for a day, let alone for year after year. I have seen with my own eyes the numbers of illegal immigrants that come across the border each day and each night. My colleagues from other parts of the country may not even believe what I am about to say, but many residents of the 50th Congressional District in California have hundreds of people running through their backyards each night. While most cross the border in search of work and a better life, some are here to prey on migrants and residents of our country. This criminal element brings with it drugs and crime. The protection of our borders is our responsibility, and that is why I have sponsored comprehensive legislation to address the border problems. This amendment complements that legislation by providing authorization for the addition of 6,000 new Border Patrol agents and support personnel over the next 5 years. Please think of the young people whom we are working so hard to save from lives wasted by drug use.”