Ehrlich on Washington column, March 17, 2002

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1407 York Rood, Suita 304 UithurvilU. Morylond 21093 315 Сопл on House Office Building Washington, D.C 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of March 1 7, 2002 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Tightening our Borders While Honoring the American Dream The September 1 1 terrorist attacks renewed debate surrounding our nation’s immigration policy. I believe that our immigration policy should acknowledge the benefits of legal immigration while cracking down on all attempts at illegal immigration. After all, our nation is a land of immigrants. Many of the legal immigrants who come to the United States work hard and play by the rules, which keeps our economic productivity up and inflation down. Simply put, America’s prosperity is the direct result of legal immigration. Illegal immigration, however, cheats millions of legal immigrants who were admitted to this nation under the rule of law. In addition, unchecked illegal immigration burdens taxpayers who must pay for increased educational and health services. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the illegal alien population in the U.S. to be 8 million, an increase of 4.5 million since 1990. To respond to this rising tide of illegal immigration, Congress, with my support, has more than doubled the size of the Border Patrol, along both the Canadian and Mexican border, and sponsored legislation to crack down on undocumented foreigners. In the 107th Congress, I supported two initiatives that reflect both aspects of my position. In October, I supported the PATRIOT Act of 2001, which takes several steps to crack down on illegal immigration. First, it broadens the scope of aliens ineligible for admission and deportable for terrorist activities. Second, it requires mandatory detention for an alien until removal from the U.S. is certified by the Attorney General. Finally, it requires the Attorney General and the Secretary of State to continue to develop tamper-resistant documents for entry to and exit through our borders In addition, on May 21, 2001, 1 voted for H.R. 1 885, a bill that temporarily extends processing for temporary visa applications for certain qualified immigrants. These immigrants, who have been living in the United States for nearly two years, are typically spouses or close relatives of