Chris Van Hollen: “the Congress has been negligent in dealing with the challenge of border security, homeland security and immigration…”

“the Congress has been negligent in dealing with the challenge of border security, homeland security and immigration policy reform. We must do what is necessary to protect our homeland and implement comprehensive immigration reform. It is time to address these issues in a meaningful way. Unfortunately, this legislation fails to meet the test. This bill does contain some important provisions that will enhance border security. Indeed, the bill that emerged from the Homeland Security Committee was one that I could basically support. Unfortunately, the Judiciary Committee put politics over policy and added a number of highly objectionable provisions. Some of these provisions will turn a number of well-intentioned and law abiding citizens into criminals and felons. Other provisions penalize many individuals who have come to this country lawfully but have, through no fault of their own, become ensnared in a bureaucratic snafu with the Citizenship and Immigration Services where if someone misses a deadline by a day in changing their visa category they can be prosecuted for unlawful presence. Moreover, visitors from other countries who are here on tourist visas but cannot return to their country within the visa timeframe because of a natural disaster or the outbreak of civil war will be made into criminals. This bill is also flawed in a number of other respects.…”