Rep. Boozman Votes for Border Security

Rep. Boozman Votes for Border Security
Bill would implement fixes to 9/11 Commission's findings on immigration loopholes

Washington, Feb 10 - U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) today voted for legislation that will close the immigration policy loopholes that terrorists exploited to carry out the September 11th attacks.

Known as the "REAL ID Act," this legislation reforms driver license requirements, addresses asylum loopholes, toughens border defenses and strengthens our deportation laws. It passed the House of Representatives by a margin of 261-161.

"This bill puts teeth in our immigration policy," said Boozman. "I couldn't support the 9-11 Intelligence Reform Bill that President Bush pushed last year because these provisions were removed. The Commission made these recommendations and I agree that these reforms are crucial to protecting America from another attack inside our borders."

Boozman - who cosponsored the "REAL ID Act" - cited the 9-11 terrorists exploitation of the loopholes in driver's license requirements as key to their plot, as it enabled them to blend in with society and wait for the right time to carry out their attacks.

"These loopholes have to be closed," said Boozman. "If illegal aliens can obtain drivers licenses, we are allowing potential terrorists to enter America and move about the country freely. The drivers licenses are key to the entire system."

Below you will find a snapshot of the reforms in the "REAL ID Act":
Implements Much Needed Driver's License Reforms

Driver's licenses have become the? primary identification document in the United States. Lax standards and loopholes in the current issuance processes allow terrorists to obtain driver's licenses-often multiple licenses from different states-and abuse the license for identification purposes.

The "REAL ID Act" would require applicants to? provide proof they are in the country legally. Currently, eleven states do not have such a requirement, meaning a majority of states have already recognized the need for tighter standards, but unnecessary and dangerous gaps in the system still exist.

The "REAL ID Act" would require identity documents to? expire at the same time as the expiration of lawful entry status, preventing those who have illegally entered or are unlawfully present in the U.S. from having valid identification documents.

States would still issue? driver's licenses and identification cards and would control their own driver database.

Closing Asylum Loopholes

The REAL ID Act would? strengthen judges' ability to determine whether the asylum seeker is truthful. This provision codifies the factors immigration judges use to assess credibility and prevents the 9th Circuit from further undermining our national security.

Defending Borders

In 1996 Congress approved building the 14? mile long San Diego Border Fence on the Mexico-U.S. border, right next to a major U.S. Navy base. Construction of the fence was halted when radical environmentalists claimed that the area was a habitat of a rare bird. As a result, eight years later, the fence remains incomplete and is an opportunity for aliens to cross the border illegally.

The REAL ID Act will require? the completion of this important security fence.

Strengthening Deportation Laws

Under current immigration laws, prohibitions on some? terrorist-related activities only apply to aliens who are trying to enter the U.S., but not to those who already reside within our borders. Therefore, if an alien seeking a visa has been found to participate in certain terrorist-related activity, he/she is prohibited from entering the U.S. But if an alien is found to have participated in the same terrorist activity in the U.S., he/she may not be deportable.

The REAL ID Act would finally make the laws consistent? by providing that all terrorist-related offenses and making aliens inadmissible which would also be grounds for their deportation.

The REAL ID Act? provides that any alien contributing funds to a terrorist organization would be deportable.

http://boozman.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=6748