HR 4437

WE strongly disagree with the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 (H.R. 4437), introduced by Representatives James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Peter King (R-NY). Besides embodying an "enforcement-only" approach to immigration reform that WILL lead only to more failure, this bill represents an attack on our fundamental constitutional values of due process and targets not only undocumented immigrants but also legal immigrants and U.S. citizens.

The past two decades have shown that enforcement-only policies do not work. Between 1986 and 2002, the number of Border Patrol officers tripled and the number of hours they spent patrolling the border grew by a factor of eight, but in that same time period, the probability of apprehension along the U.S.-Mexico border dropped from about 33\% to 5\%. The only way to control our borders and to increase our security is to reform our immigration laws to provide legal, UNCOMPLICATED-channels for immigrants to enter the country to work and contribute to our society. These people...PEOPLE, I say again...do all of the work that NOT ONE of you would do even if it paid as much as the current salaries you are making, and they do it without question, better than anyone here could do, and they do it for next-to-nothing. We should be making legislation that allows for PROTECTION/Better Pay, and Benefits for the ones already here, and makes it easier for them to get here legally.

To address our immigration challenges realistically and effectively, any proposal Congress passes MUST: enhance border security, implement an EFFECTIVE guest worker program, provide a path to citizenship with REASONABLE requirements, and reunify families.

Not only does H.R. 4437 embody a misguided approach to immigration reform, but it also subverts our democracy's deeply held values, which are founded on fundamental principles such as the right to a day in court, checks and balances, and freedom from unjust and arbitrary detention. It criminalizes unwitting violations of immigration status, sharply restricts judicial review, and broadly expands mandatory detention policies.

Please rewrite/rethink this misguided and dangerous enforcement-only bill in the House. The people do not want a huge "BERLIN WALL," to our south. Since the House DID pass enforcement-only legislation this month, I urge you to shange your minds, and to support a comprehensive solution when the House and Senate proposals are reconciled next spring.