We are a blessed and compassionate nation filled with people from all walks of life, backgrounds, and countries. That’s what makes America great.
But we’re a great nation because we were founded on the principle of law and order. And right now we have a problem.
When it comes to illegal immigration, many people don’t know that under current law, crossing the border illegally for the first time is classified as only a misdemeanor — with punishment equal to that of petty theft or public intoxication. When immigrants cross the border without going through the proper channels and designated areas, they are breaking the law. Plain and simple.
President Trump has been resoundingly clear on illegal immigration since he began his campaign: We must put American citizens first, fix the system, and secure the border. While I have introduced the Border Wall Trust Fund Act to fund the construction and maintenance of a barrier along our southern border, I believe the next step is to disincentivize illegal immigration from the very beginning.
The Zero Tolerance for Illegal Entry Act would establish a minimum prison sentence of one year and one day for unlawfully entering our country, making it a felony. The larger significance of this is that once you receive a felony conviction and you try to enter again, by legal means, you will not be able to obtain a green card. The goal of my bill is to provide a deterrent for breaking the law; hiring new judges and lawyers alone to prosecute criminals is not going to simply fix the issue. It’s going to be fixed by addressing the heart of the problem.
Many people immigrate to the U.S. legally because of the economic opportunities we offer, and we are proud to welcome them. But we need to make sure that only those following the rules are being hired. Under my bill, E-Verify is mandated for employers to make sure that no illegal immigrants are being hired. This will turn off the “job magnet,” so to speak.
My bill also rescinds funding from sanctuary cities and redirects it to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Right now, many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are calling for the abolishment of this agency. That is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. These men and women put their lives on the line every day to guard us from dangerous activities including the drug trade and human trafficking, and they need all the support we can provide.
It is appalling that Democrats would attack law enforcement for bravely protecting our nation.
We need to know who is coming to our country, why they want to call America home, what they’re bringing, and how long they plan to stay. This is commonsense security that every other nation in the world employs.
The Zero Tolerance for Illegal Entry Act is a simple measure that takes the major issues we’ve talked about for years and puts them all into one piece of legislation. The U.S. government should never prioritize illegal immigrants over American citizens, and under President Trump’s leadership, we can put this practice to an end.
Rep. Diane Black, a Republican, represents Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District in Congress. She is a member of the House Budget Committee and the Ways and Means Committee. You can follow her on Twitter: @RepDianeBlack
