Russ Feingold: “I will vote in favor of cloture on the Judiciary Committee substitute to S. 2454, the immigration bill that is pending.…”

“I will vote in favor of cloture on the Judiciary Committee substitute to S. 2454, the immigration bill that is pending. This substitute is not a perfect bill, but it is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. This is a defining moment for America. Our immigration system is broken, and it is up to us to fix it. Congress can choose from several paths. We can build a wall around our country and make felons of millions of people who are undocumented or who have provided humanitarian assistance to the undocumented. That is the path the House bill would take, and I believe it is a path that is fundamentally inconsistent with our Nation's history and values. But we have another option, a better option. We can recognize that we need a comprehensive, pragmatic approach that strengthens border security but also brings people out of the shadows and ensures that our Government knows who is entering this country for legitimate reasons, so we can focus our efforts on finding those who want to do us harm. That is the Judiciary Committee substitute, and that is the path I believe we must choose. First of all, we can and must bolster our efforts at the borders and prevent terrorists from entering our country. We absolutely must work to curb illegal immigration, and I am pleased that the Judiciary Committee substitute contains strong provisions in this area.…”