The problem starts with the fact that we do not have secure borders.

Securing the border, it is essential. It is not just essential for our border communities, our areas in the Southern part of Texas, but for the entire Nation.

Unfortunately, as a Nation, I do not think we have really come to grips with the full reality, the full complexity of this.

I disfavor the decision of the President to initiate these programs.

the top priority of this Committee is border security and looking at our immigration law

We have to make that a legal process. We have to control that.

If you are going to solve a problem, you have to understand the reality of the situation, and you have to accept it.

But, my message to you, more than anything else, is to not lose sight of the importance of U.S. involvement in Central America to deal with these underlying issues.

the Obama Administration's recent executive actions on immigration have been widely perceived throughout Central America as an executive amnesty.

I think this is certainly evidence, and it is my concern that President Obama's deferred action now in this latest round of memoranda could create that same dynamic, actually increase the incentives for illegal immigration.

It seems shameful to me that I would be able to tell you that there are places in Arizona and Texas... where our border is not under our control.

I will point out, on Thursday, we are going to have a hearing that is going to really lay out the population of people in this country illegally, and what they are doing.

People are dying. For us to walk away from this carries with it a great deal of risk for both the United States, Central America, and Mexico.

We have almost enticed people to come into this country illegally.

I am all for free and fair trade and functioning ports of entry.

If we want to have an honest debate, I think that is the way to do it, on the floor of the Senate.

That is not good for them. That is not good for this country.

this really, from my standpoint, is the top priority of this Committee

I think there is a lot of agreement that we are not going to deport 11-12 million people. We are not.

President Obama did poison the well.

We are in a period of gridlock and not moving on anything, except perhaps border security.

We always thought the House should do its own thing and figure out how to do it.

The agricultural community or field is the poster child of this problem.

we are just going to make the problem worse

What we need to do is we need to make that a legal process.