Steven Holt: “I rise today to oppose the so called Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, H.R.…”

“I rise today to oppose the so called Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, H.R. 4437. I am deeply concerned by this bill's enforcement-only focus and the simple fact that it fails to seriously address our Nation's true immigration problems. Our Nation's immigration system is broken. It does not work. Our legal immigration system does not meet the needs of American employers, lawful immigrants seeking residence in the U.S., and families seeking to reunite and pursue the American dream. And yet that does not need to be the case. One of the main reasons we have a huge illegal immigration problem is that our legal immigration system just does not work. We could be talking today about the widely recognized problems and debate comprehensive immigration reform. But we will not do that today. I am deeply troubled that this bill, which would drastically alter our Nation's immigration laws, was rushed to the House floor just a little more than a week after it was introduced and after only one committee hearing it was voted out on party lines. On this key issue we should be able to work together. Immigration is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It is truly an American issue. The history of America is a history of immigration and immigrants.…”