Last night, I spoke at length on the House floor about the need to suspend the Visa Waiver program until secure technology is in place to ensure we aren’t letting terrorists into America under the cloak of this program.  Currently, the Visa Waiver program allows citizens from 27 countries – from Japan to France – to enter the U.S. without a visa.  This widely opens the door for terrorist to enter our county, and in fact we know they are using this program.  Just take a look at some of the known terrorists that have entered the U.S. through the Visa Waiver program:

I have introduced legislation in the House to suspend the Visa Waiver program until high-tech security measures are in place to check the terrorist and criminal background of everyone using the program. To read more about my legislation, click HERE.  Below is one important security feature that hasn’t been universally adopted: tamper-proof passports. Many Visa Waiver countries do not yet have passports that are secure. 

If you want to understand the critical nature of this issue, just read these quotes from an Associated Press article last Friday:

“Al-Qaida is stepping up its efforts to sneak terror operatives into the United States and has acquired most of the capabilities it needs to strike here, according to a new U.S. intelligence assessment…”

“The group will bolster its efforts to position operatives inside U.S. borders… U.S. officials have expressed concern about the ease with which people can enter the United States through Europe because of a program that allows most Europeans to enter without visas.”

The time to act is now. I’ll post the video of my speech HERE shortly, so check back this afternoon.

Last night, I conducted a telephone townhall meeting with citizens in Cobb County.  It was a lively discussion that last about 90 minutes. Some of the topics raised were: the economy, the war in Iraq and our greater War on Terror, reimbursement rates for the disabled, veteran healthcare, immigration and border security, the Fair Tax, violence on TV and traditional values.

I greatly enjoy these tele-townhall meetings, because they’re a wonderful way for me to talk with the folks back home when I’m in Washington.  So far this year, I’ve placed calls to citizens in Paulding, Gordon, Cobb, Haralson, Polk, Chattooga, Floyd, Bartow and Carroll counties. If you haven’t gotten a call yet, you likely will in the upcoming months.

In light of the recent terrorist activities in Glasgow and London, I thought this might be a good time to discuss a piece of legislation I’ve introduced to help prevent terrorist attacks in our country. The United States currently operates a Visa Waiver Program, which enables citizens from certain “friendly” countries to travel to the U.S. without obtaining a visa.  There’s a major flaw in this legislation – terrorists don’t just operate in unfriendly nations. As we witnessed this past weekend, they operate within the borders of our closest allies as well. Until we can screen every person entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, we cannot continue to support a program that allows terrorists to cross our borders unchecked.

The 2001 Patriot Act requires the Visa Waiver program to include a machine-readable and tamper resistant biometric identification system – but this system is not yet in place!  Even though these mandated security requirements are not fully operational, we still allow the program to continue – widely opening the door for terrorists to enter our country every day.

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Last night, I hosted a very successful telephone townhall meeting with citizens in Cobb County.  Tele-townhalls are a new way I’m working to communicate with residents of Georgia’s 11th District and hear their thoughts on today’s pressing issues. Here’s how it works: each month, I choose a county and place phone calls to the residents who live there.  I invite them to join in a live, toll-free tele-townhall meeting, and then conduct the meeting over the telephone.  Those who are listening can ask me questions or share their thoughts on a particular issue.

So far this year, we’ve called Floyd, Chattooga, Bartow, Paulding, Cobb, Polk, Haralson and Carroll Counties.  We’ll continue hosting a tele-townhall meeting each month, so if you missed me the last time I called your county, you can be sure I’ll be calling again in the upcoming months. For those of you who weren’t on the call last night, here are the topics we discussed:

Immigration reform and ending chain migration
Tax relief and the Fair Tax
Gas prices
The War on Terror and our efforts in Iraq
Healthcare reform
Combating drug abuse, especially methamphetamine abuse

I really enjoy these opportunities to hear your thoughts and concerns. But you don’t have to wait for a tele-townhall to let me know what’s on your mind. Feel free to email me by clicking HERE, or click HERE to get contact information for my offices in Washington, Marietta and Rome.

Today’s Washington Times reports:

The head of a Mexican forgery ring was convinced he could make phony documents that illegal aliens could use to indicate fraudulently that they were eligible for a new amnesty, says a government affidavit recounting wiretapped phone calls the man made.

Julio Leija-Sanchez, who ran a $3 million-a-year forgery operation before he was arrested in April, was expecting Congress to pass a legalization program, which he called “amnesty,” and said he could forge documents to fool the U.S. government into believing illegal aliens were in the country in time to qualify for amnesty, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent said in the affidavit.

…The 113-page affidavit describes a document-fraud investigation by ICE that began in October 2003 in Chicago and targeted a Mexico-based gang that produced false documents in cities nationwide, including Denver, Los Angeles and Chicago.

ICE officials said the gang generated millions of dollars in illicit profits each year by recruiting illegal aliens to sell false documents on street corners in the city. They said as many as 20 illegal aliens sold false documents at any one time in just one location.

The repercussions of this kind of illegal activity are astonishing: 

Based on undercover purchases and information from cooperating sources, ICE officials said the organization sold 50 to 100 sets of fraudulent identification documents daily, charging about $200 to $300 per set. A set consisted of a Social Security card and either an immigration green card or a state driver’s license.

Under the Senate bill, documents illegal aliens can use to prove they have been in the country long enough include bank records, records from a day-labor center and sworn affidavits from known relatives.

Mr. Leija-Sanchez said he could produce any document for which he had a model to copy… He said he could make birth certificates, green cards, work visas and driver’s licenses from 20 states.

Just another reason to oppose the Senate’s immigration bill - read below for more.

As you may know, yesterday the Senate voted to proceed with their debate on immigration reform legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for the 12 million illegal immigrants currently in our nation. I firmly oppose this bill, and was heartened to see that so many of my colleagues agree. In fact, yesterday, the House Republican Conference voted overwhelmingly (114 to 23) to pass a resolution opposing the Senate’s immigration bill.

House Republicans have made it clear that we will not waiver from our principles of reform.  Any legislation we enact must uphold the rule of law, secure our borders and benefit the American people and economy.  The Senate bill simply does not pass the test.  After examining the legislation and its 24 likely amendments, I can not foresee a responsible piece of legislation emerging which I could support. 

Immigration reform is a top priority for this Congress, but the only thing worse than inaction would be taking hasty action that does not truly address the problems of our current system.  In 1986, Congress passed a terrible amnesty bill that was hailed as the solution to our illegal immigration problem.  It only takes a quick glance around Georgia to realize the ’86 bill was a complete failure.  Our nation can not afford to repeat that mistake.

Should the Senate’s current bill make it to the House for a vote, you can be sure I will be one of the loudest voices in opposition to it. 

Last week, I sent an email to 11th District residents asking for their opinions on the Senate’s immigration bill – legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for the 12 million illegal immigrants currently in our nation.

The results are still pouring in, but the preliminary count shows Georgians firmly opposed to this legislation:

Do you support the Senate immigration reform bill?

89% - No, it is a form of amnesty
6% - Yes, it is a good plan
5% - I don’t know, I need more information

Stay tuned for the final survey results on Friday.

I want to update you on some troubling details of the Senate immigration legislation unveiled last week. It is frustrating that the bill contains many provisions similar to the 1986 immigration reform bill.  You might remember the supporters of that bill swore it would solve our illegal immigration problem.  Take a look around Georgia – I think you’ll agree the ’86 bill was a failure and we don’t want to repeat that policy.

Here are some of the more troubling portions of the bill:

- It fails to make English our nation’s official language, instead calling it a “unifying” language with no legal enforcement (ie, our ballots will still be printed in Spanish).

- It fails to end birthright citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants. 

- It mandates that temporary workers be paid a “prevailing wage,” raising the cost of hiring these workers and ensuring many won’t come forward to get a temporary work visa for fear there won’t be enough prevailing wage jobs.

- It doesn’t provide funding for additional ICE agents, which hinders our ability to identify and remove illegal immigrants (especially those with criminal backgrounds who are obviously not going to apply for temporary worker status because of the background check).

- It puts 12 million illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship, without any regard for the impact on our economy and government programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, education and healthcare.  We know from recent studies that low-skilled workers use $3 in government services for every $1 they pay in taxes. The Senate bill doesn’t devote a single line to addressing this problem.

The Senate will begin debate on this legislation today. I’m eager to hear your thoughts on the bill, so click HERE to send me your opinion.

As you may know, the Senate recently unveiled legislation to reform our immigration system. Click HERE and HERE to read Phil’s preliminary take on the bill. Phil wants to hear your thoughts and opinions, so click HERE to send him an email or contact one of his offices. Stay tuned for much more immigration news.

The Senate will begin its debate on immigration reform tomorrow…. To refresh your memories, here are some of the incredulous ideas the Senate came up with last year to address our immigration crisis:

– Allowing illegal immigrants to prove residency in the U.S. with pay stubs or utility bills. (Take a look at your most recent utility bill and see if it’s tamper-proof.  Can you imagine the massive document fraud that will take place?)

– Allowing state colleges and universities to grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, subsidizing their education with our already-scarce education tax dollars.

– Providing foreign worker cards for illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. between two and five years.

– Providing immigrant workers with full benefits including social security, further burdening our troubled system.

– Giving immigrant workers special privileges that even legal U.S. workers don’t enjoy.  Employers would have to pay immigrant workers a “prevailing wage” – no such requirement is made for American workers. Illegal workers would have special protections from being fired, a luxury U.S. workers aren’t afforded.

These provisions show disrespect for American rules and reward those who have broken American laws. I remain firmly opposed to any plan that grants amnesty to the millions of illegal immigrants in our country. To read more about my principles of immigration reform, click HERE.
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The National Border Patrol Council has recently launched a website containing videos of the “Broken Borders” segment on the Lou Dobbs Tonight show. As you may know, almost every day, Mr. Dobbs reports on a different aspect of our nation’s failing border security. You watch these videos by clicking HERE.

Last night, CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight examined the issue of Chain Migration, the process by which the cousins, adult children and distant relatives of legal immigrants get visa priority over skilled workers with good educations.  Phil has introduced legislation to stop this chain, by which one legal immigrant can potentially yield visas for up to 273 other legal immigrants in as little as 15 years.  Click HERE to watch a video of the Lou Dobbs show, including clips from Phil’s testimony before the judiciary committee on this important issue.

This morning at 9:30 AM, Phil will be testifying before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration.  Phil will be discussing legislation he has introduced to end Chain Migration, which gives visa priority to the cousins, adult children and distant relatives of legal immigrants, creating a back-log of visa applicants and letting genealogy – not job skills, education or English proficiency – determine who immigrates to our country.  To watch a live video (streaming) of the hearing, click HERE.

Earlier today, House Immigration Reform Caucus members commented on the illegal immigration rallies that are occurring across America this afternoon.  Phil is on the executive board of the caucus, and made the following comment:

“Today’s protests provide a stunning visual account of all that is wrong with our immigration system. When those who are in our country illegally can gather without fear of deportation, it is clear our immigration laws have no teeth.  We desperately need reforms that secure our borders and don’t reward law-breakers with amnesty.  Perhaps then, these protestors would be challenging the Mexican government to strengthen its own economy, rather than demanding the U.S. government turn a blind eye to lawlessness.”

For more on the Immigration Reform Caucus, click HERE.

In my March e-Newsletter, I conducted a survey on what our government should do to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into this county.  The results are in, and here is what you said:

18% - Secure the Border
17% - Grant state and local law enforcement officials authority to deal with illegal immigrants
16% - prohibit anchor babies
16% - Employer Sanctions
15% - Workplace verification
12% - increase interior enforcement agents
4% - Guest worker program

If you missed this month’s newsletter and want to make sure your voice is heard in future polls, sign up for my e-Newsletter by clicking HERE.

The Associated Press today reports on this disturbing news:

Teams assigned to make sure foreigners facing departure orders actually leave United States have a backlog of more than 600,000 cases and cannot accurately account for the fugitives’ whereabouts, the government reported.

The report by the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general found that the effectiveness of teams assigned to find the fugitives was hampered by “insufficient detention capacity, limitations of an immigration database and inadequate working space.”

For the complete article, click HERE.

The immigration debate is heating up again in Washington.  As in past years, I find myself fighting against proposals that amount to little more than amnesty for illegal immigrants.  That’s why I am planning to sign a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking her not to bring amnesty legislation to the House floor.  The letter will note that amnesty burdens American taxpayers, hurts American works and rewards lawbreakers.  Stay tuned for more on this critical issue, and know that I will firmly oppose amnesty at every turn.

Today, I introduced the Secure Entry Act, legislation to suspend the Visa Waiver program until we have the technology in place to check the terrorist and criminal backgrounds of every individual using the program. For those who don’t know, the Visa Waiver program allows citizens from 27 countries – including Spain, Japan, Canada, Singapore, Argentina, England and Australia – to enter the United States without applying for a visa.  This opens the door for unscreened terrorists to enter our country.

The Rome News Tribune reported on my legislation today:

“Currently, the visa waiver program trusts the security of our nation to the background checks and passport procedures of foreign countries,” said Gingrey. “That goes against every effort we’ve made to secure our homeland.”

Gingrey said it’s common sense to suspend the program until resources are in place to check the criminal and terrorist background of every person using the waiver program.

We know that terrorists like Zacharias Moussaui and Richard Reid exploited the visa waiver program to gain entry into the U.S.  Yet incredibly, U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein, a democrat from California, has been working to EXPAND the program! Until we have adequate security measures in place, we can not allow this program to continue. Doing so puts us all at risk.

Click HERE for more information on the Secure Entry Act, and HERE for the complete Rome News Tribune article.

In today’s papers, Phil gives us his take on President Bush’s speech last night. The Associated Press reports on Phil’s appeal for bipartisanship on Iraq:

“It is so important to give this a chance, to give victory a chance,” Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey of Marietta said of Bush’s plan to send more troops and money in an effort to stabilize Iraq. “The president I think is making a very reasonable request of the Congress.”

In the Cartersville Daily Tribune, Phil calls the President’s comments on Iraq courageous:

President George W. Bush delivered his sixth State of the Union Address Tuesday night to Congress and the country with what has been declared the lowest approval ratings of any president since Richard Nixon.

That shows just how much courage he has, according to Rep. Phil Gingrey. Attributing the low poll numbers to the negative news about progress in Iraq, Gingrey said the American people are tired of losing. However, he feels reassured that “the president is committed to victory.”

But in the Marietta Daily Journal, Phil explains he didn’t see eye-to-eye with everything the President had to say – especially on immigration:

“I am concerned the President’s guest worker program amounts to amnesty for illegal immigrants,” Gingrey said. “The state of Georgia has felt the full impact of illegal immigration on our health care, education and social welfare systems, and amnesty would only exacerbate these problems.”

To read more of Gingrey’s comments, click HERE.

The Associated Press reports:

Hundreds of illegal immigrants arrested over the past week in one of the biggest U.S. immigration stings have already been deported, but some are being held for possible criminal prosecution.

Federal authorities announced Tuesday the results of a weeklong series of raids in the Los Angeles metropolitan area that targeted illegal immigrants who had previously been deported for crimes or defied final deportation orders.

Of the 761 people arrested in a five-county region since Jan. 17, more than 450 have already been removed from the country, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Click HERE for the complete article.