Border security still priority

mmigration reform is getting a lot of news these days, but I think it will be very difficult to get anything through Congress that is comprehensive any time soon, nor should we until the borders are secure.

Any country that cannot secure its own borders cannot guarantee personal or economic security of its people. I am pleased to see that more and more of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle are beginning to understand this and are now saying what some of us have been saying for five years... border security first.

While I am sympathetic to the calls for reforming immigration law and dealing with the issue of family unification, securing U.S. borders and fixing the broken system is a higher priority.

No Amnesty

Comprehensive reform remains a hard sell until the border's secure. In my view, "amnesty" is still a four letter word. It is dangerous to even talk about amnesty because history shows it only serves to increase the number of illegal entries into the U.S. by people trying to get in ahead of a deadline.

I make no apologies for my consistent position to secure the borders before we move to consider comprehensive reform. Look at what has happened in Arizona where borders are not secure. Arizona has become the gateway to the U.S. for illegal drug trafficking and gangs.

News accounts said Phoenix had become the kidnapping capital of America with more incidents than any other city in the world outside of Mexico City and more than 370 cases in 2008 alone. That's 370 times a real person was carried off somewhere.

Arizona Law

Recently, Arizona's Governor signed into law legislation that will require state law enforcement officials to ask people for documentation if they are suspected to be in the country illegally, and makes it a state crime if they are.

This will ultimately need to be decided by the courts, but understandably it ratcheted up the rhetoric on both sides of the immigration debate and reiterates how difficult it will be for any form of immigration legislation to move through Congress this year.

Regardless of the merits of the law, it highlights that the people of Arizona do not believe the Federal Government has done enough to stem the tide of illegal immigration. Washington would do well to listen and pursue extra efforts to secure the border and enforce existing laws.

While I have yet to see what shape an immigration bill will take, because of the contentiousness of the health care debate, addressing immigration reform this year will be difficult. Anything that is comprehensive is going to have to have a lot of complexity and probably will have a fair share of controversy.

What I have found is that moving parts and complexities in legislation attract more opponents than proponents, so, as I read it now, it will probably be awhile before that debate takes place. In the meantime, my sincere hope is that we secure the entire border and put a stop to conditions that have grown out of hand in Arizona.