Dana Rohrabacher: “I think it is very apropos that my colleague is talking about the danger of out-of-control immigration to our country.…”

“I think it is very apropos that my colleague is talking about the danger of out-of-control immigration to our country. My staff was recently looking at some of the statements that I made back in 1997 in the Congressional Record. On September 29, 1997, there was a debate about extending 245(i), which was basically a provision which suggested that if someone was in the United States illegally, instead of having them have to go back, which they traditionally have had to do, to their home country in order to change their status and then stand in line and become a legal applicant, 245(i) would have permitted them just to give $1,000 and to stay in the United States of America and to have their status adjusted here. During that debate, I stated, and I think it comes right down to the safety of the country, and we are talking about immigration policy: 'Extending 245(i) also raises serious national security questions.' This is back in 1997. 'Unlike those who enter the United States legally, 245(i) applicants are not required to go through the same criminal checks, history checks, as they do when they go through this check in their home country when they are waiting to come to this country legally.'”