December 17, 2003

 

Secretary Tom Ridge

U.S. Department of Homeland Security\
Washington, D.C. 20528

 

Dear Secretary Ridge,

 

We are gravely concerned about your remarks on December 9, 2003,
regarding legalization of illegal aliens and amnesty.  We respectfully
ask that you clarify and restate your position on these vital issues. 

 

As Members of Congress, we strongly and unequivocally oppose mass
amnesty for people who violate our immigration laws.

 

Mere discussion of the possibility of amnesty encourages illegal
immigration.  We must enforce the immigration laws currently on our
books rather than dangle the prospect of citizenship in front of
potential immigration lawbreakers.  We must increase immigration law
enforcement, not only at borders but in the interior, making it more
costly for lawbreakers to disregard our immigration laws.  The result
would be similar to \"broken windows\" policing in New York City which
not only reduced \"minor\" crimes, but also curbed serious crimes.  The
same is true for immigration law. 

 

We must enforce existing immigration laws.  The law enforcement approach
would reduce the migration of illegal aliens, reduce the ill-gotten net
gain from illegal immigration, raise American wages, improve American
working conditions, reduce the overall illegal population, and reduce
the number of crimes committed by illegal aliens.  Once our immigration
laws are consistently enforced, many illegal aliens will leave
voluntarily, rather than face deportation.  A similar phenomenon was
witnessed as a result of the NSEERS alien registration program.  When
the government began to detain and deport people who were illegally in
the United States, thousands more illegal aliens fled the country.

 

Since 1986, Congress has passed seven amnesties for illegal aliens. 
Clearly this is a short-term \"fix\" to a long-term problem.  Rewarding
people who violate our immigration laws sends the wrong message, and
encourages more illegal aliens to violate our borders and enter the
United States illegally.  This influx places a strain on essential
homeland security resources.  If an illegal alien is permitted to become
a legal worker and obtain a green card by working in the United States
for a certain period of time, this is sufficient enticement for millions
upon millions more illegal aliens to flood this country.  We have
learned the lesson of the IRCA in 1986.  At the time it was hoped that
an amnesty would make it easier to enforce immigration laws by
legalizing the illegal alien population.  However, the legalization of 3
million aliens backfired and the illegal alien population was quickly
doubled in a decade\-- and is estimated to have tripled it in less than
a decade and a half. 

 

We are also concerned that a mass legalization would severely overburden
the immigration bureaucracy.  It would strap the processing resources,
lead to lengthy backlogs, and drain taxpayer resources.

 

We are especially disturbed by the burden that would be imposed on
taxpayers as a result of legalization. Americans will have to pay
increased taxes as a consequence of the burden amnesty would place on
our school systems, welfare and social service systems, roads and
transportation systems, the sprawl and environmental degradation, the
health care system, Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs. 

 

It is unfair to reward people who break our immigrations laws with
immigration status, while many potential immigrants outside the United
States are waiting to be admitted to the United States lawfully.  If we
allow the people who break the rules by entering the United States
illegally to go to the front of the immigration line, it is a slap in
the face to law-abiding immigrants. 

 

Finally, we are concerned that amnesty by any name, be it earned amnesty
or legalization, jeopardizes our national security.  Mahmud Abouhalima
was granted amnesty in 1986 and was subsequently one of the terrorists
that bombed the Trade Center in 1993. 

 

We commend you for your commitment to protecting our homeland and hope
you will carefully consider the impact of immigration policies on the
war on terror. 

 

Sincerely,

 

s/

 

Congressman Steve King

Congressman John Sullivan

Congressman Tom Tancredo

Congressman Chip Pickering

Congressman Mac Collins

Congressman J.D. Hayworth

Congressman C.L. \"Butch\" Otter

Congressman Lamar Smith

Congressman John Carter

Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Congressman Gresham Barrett

Congressman Elton Gallegly

Congressman Michael Burgess

Congressman John Boozman

Congressman Nathan Deal

Congressman Phil Gingrey

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher

Congressman Donald Manzullo

Congressman John Duncan

Congressman Walter Jones

Congressman Sam Graves

Congressman Kevin Brady

Congressman Scott Garrett

Congressman Wally Herger

Congressman Jeff Miller

Congressman Cliff Stearns

Congressman Randy Forbes

Congressman Virgil Goode

Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn

Congressman Gil Gutknecht

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett

Congressman Joe Wilson

Congressman Gary Miller

Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis

Congressman John Culberson

Congressman John Kline