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House Members Take Steps to Restore Secure Fence Act

ed the Immigration Law Corrections Act of 2008. This bill would, among other things, delete the Hutchison language from the FY08 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that grants Homeland Security discretion not to build fencing in a location if the Secretary determines that fencing is not the most appropriate means to achieve and maintain operational control over the border at such location.

On Thursday, Congressmen Walter Jones (R-NC) and Peter King (R-NY) introduced H.R.4987, entitled the Fence by Date Certain Act. This bill completely rewrites the Hutchison language to provide for the construction of two-layered fencing over 700 miles of the southwest border. The language sets forth four specific segments where fencing must be built by May 30, 2008 plus a fifth segment that must be built by December 31, 2008. In a statement announcing the new bill, Congressman Jones said, "There can be no more delay. Now is the time to build the fence - with American materials and American hands"

Finally, FAIR has learned that Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) within days intends to introduce a bill that would address the border fence. The bill, entitled the Reinstatement of the Secure Fence Act, would rewrite the Hutchison Amendment by deleting the consultation language, repealing the paragraph granting DHS discretion to not build in particular locations, and clarifying that the 700 miles of fencing must be two-layered. Commenting on his new bill, Congressman Hunter told FAIR, "Eliminating the double fence mandate enacted under the Secure Fence Act is a prescription for failure that will only allow our Southern border to remain vulnerable to drug and human smugglers, criminals and terrorists. My legislation will rightly reinstate the mandates of the Secure Fence Act and, as a result, deliver a much needed element of security to our border with Mexico."

Immigration and Customs Enforcement to Prioritize Deportation of Incarcerated Alienstation

Last week, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Julie Myers announced an effort to increase the number and rate at which criminal aliens in the nation's jails and prisons are deported. Speaking to the New York Times, Myers said that she expects Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to identify and deport more than 200,000 criminal aliens in 2008. This number would be an increase from the 164,000 jailed criminal aliens identified in 2007 and the 64,000 identified the year before. (New York Times, January 15, 2008).

In addition, ICE intends to speed up the deportation process through a program under which states would grant early parole to aliens imprisoned for non-violent crimes in exchange for immediate deportation upon release. Aliens who participate in this program, termed the Rapid Removal of Eligible Parolees Accepted for Transfer (REPAT) program, would waive any right to appeal their conviction and would be required to serve the remainder of their prison term if they are caught attempting to re-enter the United States illegally. (Washington Times, January 16, 2008).

In the interview, Myers also discussed a number of other accomplishments and plans for the agency. She noted that a total of 276,912 aliens were returned to their home countries in 2007. In addition, Myers vowed that 2008 would see more employers facing severe sanctions, pointing out that while nearly 4,100 illegal workers were detained last year, fewer than 100 employers faced arrest. "Do I think we have solved this problem? No," Myers said referring to the hiring of illegal aliens. "Do I think we are starting to make an impact? I think we're starting to." (New York Times, January 15, 2008).

Recent Floor Statements

* Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) commented on Political Prisoners For One

Year (January 17, 2008)

http://www.fairus.org/site/R?i=kkLrrfiQhh4LuWFoyHWd1A..

* Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) commented on Employers Who Hire Illegal

(January 16, 2008)

http://www.fairus.org/site/R?i=8J0XpPjax3UncoK529MqDw..

* Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) commented on the National Defense

Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2008 (January 16, 2008)

http://www.fairus.org/site/R?i=DV6sAETi6mbJ4jDq24UFOw..

* Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) commented on H-2B Visas (January 15,

2008)