Barney Frank: “I would just stress no one who understands what drives immigration, legal or illegal, thinks that illegal immigration…”

“I would just stress no one who understands what drives immigration, legal or illegal, thinks that illegal immigration will decrease by one person if they do not have the matricula consular. I have never heard anyone argue that it is the ability to have the matricula consular that brings people here illegally. So the question is, as the chairman has phrased it, whatever we can do or not do to stop illegal immigration, this has nothing to do with it. There will be people here. This is part of an effort to try to identify some of the people who are here. It is a separate question. And, again, I would ask does anyone really think that if we get rid of the matricula consular that this would decrease illegal immigration by as much as one person? I see no argument for that. And then once we accept that fact, the chairman's argument is correct, that it is a way of dealing with facts that are here, while we try to diminish them to other means, that do have the support of law enforcement because better information is helpful.”