Political Quotes

On the recordMay 20, 2010
I support the law of Arizona. Just as the gentleman said, it is really a mirror image of the United States law. I would say that those who are against the law who criticize it, some in our own government, do so for very interesting reasons. It is not really the law that they have such a problem with. It is the fact that we are enforcing a law that already exists. If that were not the case, then why, Mr. Speaker, do these people who are against this Arizona law, why don't they simply bring a bill to the floor and vote to repeal the existing American law. But that is not happening. What we have had is a wink and a nod for many years, in which case we have a law on the books--I think it is a good law, it is not a perfect law--but a law that if we enforced it, we wouldn't have the problems that we have today. Let's just take a moment to understand why we have the problems that we have. I lived in the San Diego, California, area some years ago, and it was very interesting. When you would leave San Diego and drive across the border into Tijuana, here we are, two cities that are so close together that they abut one another, and yet on one side of the border you have beautiful homes, million dollar homes. You have wonderful bridges and infrastructure. And then as you cross the border, you find poverty. You find dirt roads. You find people in some cases living in the streets.
Said by
John Fleming
Republican · Louisiana
Source
govinfo.gov
May 20, 2010

Editor's note · Context

The speaker expresses support for Arizona's immigration law and critiques opposition to it.

Share

More from John Fleming

Apr 8, 2019

Yes, sir, I certainly agree with that, with this caveat.

congress.gov
Apr 8, 2019

For every Federal dollar spent, we get $15 of private investment in turn.

congress.gov
Apr 8, 2019

Congresswoman, budgets are about priorities, and this administration has a different set of priorities than the last one.

congress.gov
Apr 8, 2019

Oh, absolutely, no question. But then you always have to apply that to over time, some places get hit three or four times over a decade.

congress.gov

Other voices in this conversation