Tom Carper

We came up with the idea and said, well, why do we not maybe do something like not text4baby, but text4visaoverstay.

One of the things that I find encouraging is that all three countries have agreed and signed onto this Alliance for Prosperity.

They wanted us to put them away for a long time.

The key is trying to meet our moral obligation to these folks. They are our neighbors.

I would continue the information-sharing collaboration as we are doing now, implement technology to assist in that.

I think it has dawned on Mexico in the last year or so that they have a dog in this fight...

You need to have an answer to the question, how much are you putting forward.

What I have yet to see is where it is a Central American plan coming from them themselves.

When you hear 'illegal immigration,' I may think one thing. You may think another. But we have to define that.

We understand the consequences.

This is not us designing something in Washington, and I know there is some consultation, but that we are going to hang a billion-dollar here program, and, of course, they will take it.

I think there is another one that we are working on.

We can help. They have got to do it in the end, and part of what is needed is really strong, courageous leadership.

Ultimately, if I were sitting in your chair--I know how difficult it can be, but it is really developing and working together to come up with a comprehensive immigration plan as well as securing the border.

Information sharing is very important.

If we are looking for a needle in a haystack, sometimes it is helpful if we actually reduce the size of the haystack.

If you want to solve problems, you do not just address the symptoms of the problems; you address the root causes of the problems.

But if you bring agencies together, understand their missions, and understand how we can bring those missions together to secure the border, we are in a much better situation.

Among the root causes of these problems are our addictions in this country to methamphetamines, heroin, cocaine, and the like.

Building that Customs and Border Protection and getting them out there where they have NCO quality leadership is going to be essential to us.

I have been involved in drug law enforcement for 31 years now, and I have seen all different phases of it.

I am the Golden Rule guy—I think we all are.

For me, it is the most helpful part of any hearing we have had, especially on issues where there is not unanimity of opinion, is that on a diverse panel, like, where is the consensus, because we are all about building consensus here.

I have always loved job creation and job preservation.

To those of us who live on the border, you have heard from us.