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August 10, 2010
1:36 PM

CONTACT: America's Voice

Michael Earls (202) 494-8555

House Passes $600 Million Border Bill, Sends it Back to Senate

Voters Will Remain Frustrated Until System is Fixed with Comprehensive Reform

WASHINGTON - August 10 - Today, the House of Representatives passed a $600 million dollar supplemental border funding measure, which will be considered again by the Senate in September. 

The following is a statement from Lynn Tramonte, Deputy Director of America's Voice:

"At the President's request, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate are about to send millions more taxpayer dollars to the broken border.  It's no coincidence that this ‘emergency supplemental' is on the agenda just before the August recess.  We've read this story before, and we know how it ends.  The bill will be approved and politicians will go home and brag to their constituents about how tough they are, without solving a thing. 

"Since 2002 we have more than doubled the amount of money we're spending on immigration enforcement, but we still have millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.  When will our leaders in Washington own up to the fact that we cannot solve this problem by deporting people?  The American people know that, and that is why they support comprehensive immigration reform. 

"The only real solution is one that combines smart border enforcement with a crackdown on employers who violate labor and immigration laws and a program that requires immigrants in the U.S. illegally to register with the government, study English, and pay taxes on their way to becoming full U.S. citizens.  A comprehensive solution addresses all aspects of the problem and will store rationality to our nation's irrational immigration laws. 

"By bringing the border bill forward, Democratic leaders say they are hoping to court Republicans who have refused to negotiate on comprehensive immigration reform until the border is "secure."  But who decides it's "secure," and when, and how?  Already, Republican Members of Congress are saying the bill doesn't go far enough.  The fact is, Republican senators and representatives have made a political decision not to work with Democrats on comprehensive immigration reform because they think this is in their electoral interests.  They are wrong.  Not only are they alienating Latino voters with their anti-immigrant rhetoric, but they are irresponsibly blocking a solution that America desperately needs.  

"Unless and until Congress addresses comprehensive immigration reform, the system will remain broken and voters will remain frustrated with Washington's failure to fix it.  The border supplemental may buy politicians something to talk about over August recess, but it's a cheap substitute for real reform."


