(Letter from Ben Chandler, Kentucky Congressman, regarding illegal
immigration and border security.)

Dear Mr. Roy:

           Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns
regarding immigration and border security. As your representative in
Congress, I appreciate the benefit of your views on this important
issue.

           I strongly support efforts to stop illegal immigration,
improve border security, and develop a border management system that
enhances homeland security while facilitating legitimate travel and
trade. Our immigration system has many weaknesses that require greater
attention from federal, state, and local governments. We must continue
to strengthen our immigration policies until we secure our borders and
successfully account for all foreign visitors within our country. 

           In order to improve our immigration system, we must increase
security at our borders and integrate new technologies to prevent known
criminals and suspected terrorists from entering our country. Hundreds
of miles of our border go unmonitored by either personnel or technology
every day. The federal government still needs to hire an additional
2,000 inspectors and develop a new staffing strategy to deal with
immigration control issues along both our northern and southern borders.
We must also expedite the automated biometric procedures at the
different points of entry into the country. These procedures will rely
on fingerprints and digital imaging to verify when foreign individuals
enter the United States. This will expedite the traveling process for
legitimate passengers while enhancing security at our nation's airports
and seaports.

           Not only am I advocating the removal of dangerous loopholes
in our immigration system, I am also opposed to granting blanket amnesty
to all undocumented immigrants inside our borders. On March 22, 2007,
the Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act
of 2007 was introduced in the House. This bill has provisions addressing
border security, a legalization process for immigrants, a temporary
worker program and new visas for family and merit-based situations so
that those trying to come to the U.S. legally are not at a disadvantage.
Please rest assured that I will continue to support legislation that
allows for legal immigration while strengthening America's borders.

           I appreciate the time you have taken to contact me about this
issue. Learning all I can about the issues affecting Central Kentucky is
an important aspect of my job as your Congressman. Please feel free to
stay in touch and contact my Lexington or Washington office if I may be
of any assistance on this or any other matter. I also encourage you to
visit my web site (http://chandler.house.gov) to sign up for my
e-newsletter and learn more about the issues on which I am working.

           Thank you again for your comments, and please feel free to
contact me anytime I can be of assistance to you and your family.

 


                                                          Sincerely,
 

                                                          Ben Chandler
                                                          Member of Congress

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