Immigration
The United States is a nation of immigrants and was founded on ideals that honor this tradition. The feedback I hear from my neighbors in Michigan and other Americans is nearly unanimous: our immigration system is broken and our southern border is overrun. I have been to the border and witnessed firsthand what is undoubtedly a national security and humanitarian crisis of President Biden’s making. I believe we must secure our borders, enforce our laws, and cut unnecessary red tape for legal immigration.
Securing Our Borders
The crisis on our southern border is a national emergency that Congress needs to address. Failing to secure our borders and ports of entry poses a security risk to our citizens and ignores the rule of law.
In the 117th Congress, I have cosponsored numerous bills that would secure our southern border and give border patrol the tools they need to do their job. Bills such as the Border Security for America Act would require that the federal government secure our borders through the renewal of border wall construction contracts, investments in advanced technologies, and bolstering support for federal law enforcement officers and specialists. I have also cosponsored the Finish the Wall Act, H.R. 2729, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to resume construction activities on the southern border wall.
Michigan has a long and rich tradition as a welcoming state, and we can provide humanitarian assistance while at the same time prioritizing the safety of our citizens. We need absolute certainty that rigorous vetting procedures are in place and enhanced safety measures are taken to protect the people of Michigan and all Americans.
Enforcing the Law
With over 15 million illegal aliens currently living in the United States, it is apparent that we need to do more to uphold our laws. Our current system encourages people to break the law and punishes those who abide by it, ultimately harming both prospective legal immigrants and hardworking Americans. We must empower state and local law enforcement, and equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce federal immigration law, and demand that the Department of Justice uphold the laws in place.
In June 2017, I voted in favor of H.R. 3004, Kate’s Law, a bill that prioritizes public safety by enhancing penalties for deported felons who illegally reenter the United States. The bipartisan bill is named after Kate Steinle, who was tragically murdered by an illegal immigrant with a felony record who had been deported five times. The House also passed the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act with my support. Sanctuary cities needlessly endanger the lives of American citizens by refusing to honor the federal government’s authority to enforce immigration laws and this common sense law deems state or local governments that refuse to cooperate with immigration officials or enforce immigration laws as ineligible for certain types of federal funding.
I have cosponsored the Illegal Immigrant Payoff Prohibition Act which would block the Biden Administration’s plan to make settlement payments of up to $450,000 per person to individuals who entered our country illegally. I have also cosponsored H.R. 6587, which would prohibit the use of arrest warrants and other documents issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as proof of identification at airport security checkpoints.
Cutting the Red-Tape for Legal Immigration
Immigrants who want to join our citizenry should be encouraged and assisted in doing so the same way millions of immigrants have legally done so for generations. We need to create a work permit program that eliminates bureaucratic red-tape and meets the evolving needs of economy, especially our agricultural, educational, and technological sectors. Right now, almost half of the undocumented population are visa overstays, which highlights the difficulty in renewing work visas. Instead of punishing lawful immigrants with a burdensome system, we should instead work towards fostering an environment where employers’ needs are being met by job-seeking, productive individuals who want to work.
Please know I will continue to support measures that honor our nation's founding tradition of legal immigration, secures our borders, and addresses the bureaucratic red-tape which prevents legal immigrants from entering our country and helping to meet our workforce needs.
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