Finally, pushed by the will of the American People, Congress seems ready to address our nation’s serious border security and illegal immigration problems in a bipartisan way. This is our best chance in a generation to protect our Homeland, treat hard-working Americans fairly, and show compassion for those who long for American freedom and opportunity.
During the past few years, I’ve toured our northern border and met with agents stretched thin to control legal entry. I’ve joined our dedicated sheriffs in Franklin, Penobscot, and Washington Counties who are on the front lines dealing with the flood of cheap heroin from Mexico. I’ve listened to the stories of recovering addicts whose lives have been nearly ruined by that poison. I’ve shed tears with heartbroken parents who have lost children to drug overdoses.
Our families want higher-paying jobs while employers desperately search for qualified workers. Our schools and hospitals struggle to educate and care for those who are here both legally and illegally. The worsening situation rightly angers hard-working taxpayers who foot the bill.
Our serious border security and immigration problems have grown dramatically over the years because career politicians have repeatedly kicked the can down the road. Now, the problems are taking a toll on every American.
No agreement to solve such complicated and entrenched problems will satisfy everyone. And, no deal is possible unless it’s bipartisan, making it even harder to achieve but certainly possible if we all work together to do what is right for the future of our country.
As the negotiation proceeds, I’ll be standing up for Maine’s interests. Here’s what I’ll be fighting for to help our families in Maine:
First, our external borders, both north and south, must be controlled so we know what is crossing our borders and who’s entering our Homeland. We must stop those who seek to harm our families with violence and/or deadly drugs. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s annual National Drug Threat Assessment, more than 80 percent of the cheap heroin that finds its way into the United States crosses the Mexican border. Border security must be addressed to successfully tackle the heroin and opioid epidemic that is killing our kids and destroying American families.
The 1,954-mile Mexican border already includes roughly 670 miles of fencing and other physical barriers. I support funding for more strategically placed walls, combined with aerial drone surveillance, land-based cameras and sensors, and increased human and canine patrols.
Second, our internal immigration laws must be strictly enforced, including requiring states and municipalities to comply with existing federal laws. If not, federal taxpayer dollars should be withheld from so-called “sanctuary cities.” We cannot keep our families safe if communities refuse to enforce the law.
In addition, I will be pushing for “Kate’s Law” to be part of any deal. In 2015, a 32-year-old Californian named Kate Steinle was murdered in San Francisco by an illegal immigrant that had seven felony convictions, and after having been picked up for drug charges, was released by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department because of its sanctuary city status. Kate’s Law would ensure that illegal immigrants convicted of U.S. crimes are kept behind bars, not released to harm and kill Americans. Last year, the U.S. House passed bipartisan bills to defund sanctuary cities and enact Kate’s Law. I hope the Senate will support these common sense public safety measures.
Third, we must protect Maine families by insisting on ending the random visa lottery where anyone can win and enter our country without merit. Last fall, a terrorist, who entered our Homeland through this meritless system, rented a truck and maliciously ran down joggers and bicyclists in New York City. Eight innocent people were killed and another dozen were wounded because of the immigration lottery.
Fourth, we must end chain migration, where one immigrant can pull in dozens of distant relatives, regardless of their abilities to support themselves, and then take federal resources away from our most vulnerable and needy Americans. Instead, we should switch to a merit based system like our neighbor Canada uses.
Fifth, we should fix the problems with our temporary guest worker visa program. The largest industry in Maine is tourism which has an economic impact to our state of nearly $9 billion annually. It directly employs 106,000 workers at restaurants, hotels, car rental businesses, amusement parks, and the like. Many such small seasonal businesses, especially in coastal Hancock County, have been forced to close early or reduce hours of operation because they lack workers. This threatens the success of those businesses and the local economies. To solve this problem, I’m committed to help fix the temporary guest worker visa program to ensure that these businesses can hire the temporary staff they need while also protecting American jobs.
Lastly, we must come up with a solution for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) individuals. In 2012, the Obama Administration illegally circumvented Congress, and the Constitution, by issuing an Executive Order putting into question the immigration status of the approximately 800,000 individuals who were brought to America illegally by their parents when they were children. Today, these DACA individuals are between the ages of 12 and 36 and call the United States home. Any forthcoming border security and immigration agreement has the opportunity to legally and permanently solve this problem.
As Americans, our long-held beliefs include that kids should not be held accountable for their parents’ actions. They also include upholding the rule of law. A bipartisan agreement must include a compassionate solution to help these individuals who had no say in their parents’ unlawful actions. While I do not believe any deal should include special amnesty citizenship for DACA individuals—because it would invite and encourage more illegal entry and further risk the lives of additional children—I do support finding bipartisan agreement by clarifying their immigration status and allowing them to stay if they meet certain requirements, including being productive members of our communities and good stewards of our laws.
Securing our borders, permanently fixing our broken immigration system, and thoughtfully addressing the DACA issue is within our reach. Thank you to all who have reached out to my office on these issues. Rest assured I’ve heard your comments, concerns and suggestions, and I’ll be fighting for Maine’s interests during this long overdue process.
Congressman Bruce Poliquin represents Maine’s 2nd District, serving on the Veterans Affairs and Financial Services Committees in Congress.
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