Political Quotes

“I commend Chairman Smith for his hard work on the illegal immigration provisions in H.R. 2202, the Immigration in the National Interest Act of 1995. I would like to draw attention to the role played by the U.S. Customs Service on our borders in the processing and interdiction of illegal passengers, conveyances, and cargo. While H.R. 2202 calls for additional Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS] inspectors and certain infrastructural improvements along borders, it should not be forgotten that primary responsibility for policing our borders falls on the Customs Service. Customs inspectors and agents protect American citizens from the entry or importation of illegal goods. In fact, the Customs Service seizes more illegal drugs than all other Federal agencies combined. A lesser known fact is that in addition to their own obligations along the southwest border, Customs has a cross-designated responsibility with the INS to identify and detain illegal immigrants. Customs holds the line on our borders, and INS plays it role, too. In considering H.R. 2202, I ask my colleagues to remember these facts. First, unlike the INS, Customs deploys its personnel along the border according to changing threats, not the absolute numbers of passengers in any given period. Customs has targeted inspections based on intelligence from its agents, some of whom operate beyond our borders to protect vital national interests.”