One month to the day….
On May 9th, I sent a letter to El Presidente and to both my senators about the open border situation.
Today, I got a reply from Senator Cornyn’s office. As promised, I’m posting the reply here.
Dear Mr. Billings:
Thank you for contacting me about immigration reform. The need to fix our broken system is clear, and the Senate is debating several proposals regarding one of the most important issues in recent memory.
Immigration reform must concern itself with improving legal immigration, not about creating a new process that benefits only illegal aliens. For, although we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws. If all immigrants must abide by the rule of law and must be treated equally, then we can reach a consensus on improving the legal process so that it meets the needs of our society, economy, and national security.
In July 2005, in my role as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security, Immigration, and Citizenship, I worked closely with Arizona Senator Jon Kyl to formulate the Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act of 2005 (S. 1438). This legislation offers no amnesty and includes provisions to strengthen border security, ensure jobsite enforcement, and sensibly handle the undocumented population currently living within our borders. It is based on both the rule of law and the fundamental American principle of fairness.
Unfortunately, before the Easter recess, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an immigration proposal that I did not vote for and could not support. This proposal is a substitute amendment to Majority Leader Bill Frist’s Securing America’s Borders Act (S. 2454). After a delay in the immigration debate, a new bill offered by Senators Chuck Hagel and Mel Martinez, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (S. 2611), has come to the floor.
Although I believe this compromise bill is an important step toward creating a workable solution to the problem, it contains several proposals with which I disagree. The most contentious of these is the decision to allow illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for more than five years to enter directly into a program that leads to permanent citizenship. Justice is not served by allowing the people who have broken our laws to gain resident status ahead of would-be immigrants who have applied through the appropriate legal channels.
Ultimately, the final immigration plan will be worked out in a conference committee that will reconcile the differences between the House of Representatives’ immigration bill (H.R. 4437) and the Senate bill. I will serve on that committee, and I look forward to crafting immigration laws that will be respected by American citizens and upheld by all levels of government.
As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security, Immigration, and Citizenship, I will continue working to curtail illegal immigration and its effects on the State of Texas while ensuring that immigrants following the rule of law have an equal opportunity to realize their potential as they become productive members of our society. To better acquaint you with the reforms I support, I have compiled detailed summaries of S. 1438 and other relevant information on my website.
I appreciate the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856http://www.cornyn.senate.gov
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