Lamar Smith: “Let me thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), for all that he has…”

“Let me thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), for all that he has done to advance immigration reform during this Congress. I do support H.R. 4760, Securing America's Future Act. This legislation ensures that our immigration policies put the interests of Americans first. We need to thank not only Chairman Goodlatte, but others who have put so much time and effort into this legislation. We appreciate Mr. Goodlatte's diligence, expertise, and commitment to improving our immigration system. Any immigration reform considered by Congress must, at a minimum, secure our borders, implement workforce verification to end the illegal jobs magnet, reduce chain migration, bolster interior enforcement, and prevent abuse of our asylum laws. Securing America's Future Act includes all of these necessary provisions. The bill delivers on the President's pledge to voters to complete physical barriers along our southern border, penalize lawless sanctuary cities, and end the Obama administration's catch-and-release policy that returns dangerous criminal immigrants to our streets to prey on innocent Americans. Of special interest to me is the inclusion of the Legal Workforce Act in the bill, which requires all new employees' work eligibility to be verified. This will reduce illegal immigration and save jobs for American workers.…”