Thomas Daschle: “last September--5 days before the terrorist attacks on our Nation--President Vicente Fox delivered an historic address…”

“last September--5 days before the terrorist attacks on our Nation--President Vicente Fox delivered an historic address to this Congress on the importance of U.S.-Mexican relations. On both sides of the political aisle, and on both sides of the U.S.- Mexican border, there was wide agreement that reforming our Nation's outdated immigration laws was an essential step in strengthening the relationship between our two countries. Then came September 11. One of the important lessons we learned on that horrific day is that border security is not simply a matter of immigration policy. It's a matter of urgent national security. In the months since September 11, we have seen that the INS and the FBI lack the tools and resources to effectively track foreign nationals in our country. This includes even individuals with known links to terrorist networks. Not only are we unable to expel people who have violated their visas, very often we can't even find them. Then last month, we were stunned to learn that the INS had just mailed confirmations of visa extensions to two of the terrorist hijackers responsible for the September 11 attacks. I am proud to be one of the 61 sponsors of the bipartisan Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it. This act will strengthen America's border security and improve our ability to track visa holders--including foreign students.…”