No More Broken Promises on Border Security

If there is any consolation in Tuesdays disappointing election results it is that illegal immigration has returned to the forefront of our national dialogue. This is a good thing. Americas immigration system is broken.

But we must not rush head-long into a Ëœsolution that only makes things worse. Right now, there are well-meaning people including some in my own party who are advocating a grand bargain in which the American people would be promised border security in exchange for the granting of amnesty to tens of millions of illegal aliens. Weve been here before.

I remember it was in 1986 that my idol, President Reagan, helped usher through a similar compromise. Three million aliens became American citizens; the border was never secured. In fact, recent American history is littered with similar broken promises when it comes to border security.

Thats why I have a simple request for the President and Congress: Secure our border first. Demonstrate that you take seriously the safety concerns of Americans living in the border region. With that completed, we can pursue together ways to fix our Nations broader immigration system in a fashion that is effective, practical and humane.   back...