Key to reviving immigration-reform bill: tight border

President Bush pledges more agents, fencing, and cameras to save the Senate bill – in need of 15 votes to survive.

from the June 25, 2007 edition

Page 2 of 3

Page 1 | 2 | Page 3

In recent days, several senators who once supported the notion of a new guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for some 12 million people now in the country illegally, said they could no longer support the bill mainly over concerns that it cannot be adequately enforced.

Existing law already provides for the construction of 700 miles of fencing, 23,000 new border patrol agents by 2010, enforcement of employer sanctions, and completion of a biometric exit and entry system by 2005. Yet none of these promises were kept, critics say.

"It's one thing to take the government at its word in 1986 and then to see what they're not able to do and not willing to do, but it's another thing when we do the exact same thing again on a much bigger scale," says Sen. Jim DeMint (R) of South Carolina on Thursday.

One example of a clearly unworkable feature of the proposed law, according to Senator DeMint, is the 24-hour limit for background checks on those currently in the country illegally who are seeking probationary status. "If they can't do the background check in 24 hours, you get your probationary status anyway," he said.

On Friday, GOP supporters of the bill took up 10 such leading criticisms of border enforcement in their new amendment. They include:

•A requirement to complete appropriate background checks before undocumented immigrants are given probationary status to stay in the country.

•Hiring at least 10,000 additional auditors, specialists, and other personnel to investigate fraud, remove illegal immigrants, and enforce employer sanctions.

•Barring from entry into the US gang members, child sex offenders, and those who pose health and criminal risks.

•Tracking those who remain in the US after their visas have expired. It includes raising the bond for each visiting family member from $1,000 to $2,500.

•Enforcing the law against visa overstayers, detaining them until they are deported, and permanently barring them from future admission to the US.

1 | Page 2 | 3 | Next Page