12.17.2005
WASHINGTON --- House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) today praised House passage of H.R. 4437, The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, 239 to 182:
“This week, the House continued our focus on protecting the United States from the daily threat of terrorism. Promoting our national security is the federal government’s principal responsibility, and tonight’s vote to secure our borders was one step toward protecting the U.S. by addressing the issue of illegal immigration,” Blunt said.
“By increasing penalties for illegal immigration, we hold violators accountable, restore the integrity of our nation’s borders, re-establish respect for our laws, and help ensure that terrorists cannot enter the United States,” Blunt continued.
The border security legislation will help secure our borders to fight terrorism and protect our nation by:
? Confronting smugglers trafficking in human beings and increases criminal penalties for alien smuggling by establishing mandatory minimum sentences;
? Cracking down on alien gang members by rendering alien street gang members inadmissible and deportable;
? Increasing penalties for aliens reentering illegally and stiffening penalties, including establishing mandatory minimum sentences for aliens who reenter the United States after having been removed;
? Making aggravated felons inadmissible and barring refugees with aggravated felony convictions from receiving green cards.