March 30, 2006—Today in a press conference with more than 20 other House members, Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) urged the Senate to pass immigration reform legislation that will faithfully and sufficiently secure America’s borders.
 
“In this age of terrorism, border security is a quintessential issue.  We absolutely must secure America’s borders. The current mechanisms we have in place at our borders are leaving us vulnerable to terrorist extremists.  Terrorists no longer need a missile to cause harm to our citizens – all they need right now is a truck.”

“With the challenges we are facing, I join my fellow House members in encouraging the Senate to pass a bill that will ensure our border patrol agents have the appropriate resources, manpower and technology they need to stop those who wish to harm us from entering our country.  We remain committed to our honored tradition of welcoming immigrants, but we must take action to stem the tide of illegal immigration and secure our now porous borders.”
 
 
This week, the Senate is scheduled to take up S. 2454, the Securing America’s Borders Act, authored by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.  Among other things, the bill will do the following: 

• Provide for increases in the number of customs and border protection officers, port of entry inspectors, border patrol agents, and Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice attorneys and immigration judges;
• Provide for increased use of biometric data and other border security enhancements; and
• Make all alien members of criminal street gangs deportable.

Trent Franks is the Congressman from the 2nd Congressional District of Arizona.  He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Judiciary Committee and Vice Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee.