Burns Says Troops On Border A Step In The Right Direction

May-15, 2006

Burns Says Troops On Border A Step In The Right Direction

(Savannah, Georgia) - Max Burns, former Congressman running to represent Georgia's new 12th District, tonight said President George W. Bush's proposal to put National Guard troops on the border was a step in the right direction to securing our border and stopping the flow of illegal aliens into our country, but flatly rejected the President's temporary worker program as amnesty.

"I support the President's efforts to place National Guard troops on our border to assist the Border Patrol," said Burns. "Since the terrorist attacks on September 11th, the United States has enacted many reforms to secure our homeland, but unfortunately we've failed to meet the challenge in dealing with the flow of illegal immigration. Putting troops on the border is a good first step, but I'm not sure the President's plan places enough troops to secure the southern border properly. Let's make sure there is an overwhelming force to secure our border and stop the flow of illegals. Then we can begin installing the new infrastructure and technology that will allow us to permanently secure our nation, and train and deploy as many new Border Patrol agents as necessary for permanent security with the new infrastructure in place."

"No matter how he phrases it, the President tonight proposed a temporary worker program that unfortunately provides amnesty for the 11 million illegal aliens already in our country," said Burns. "Any acceptable guest worker program must require illegal immigrants currently in the United States to return to their home countries and apply for legal access to our country through the new guest worker program. The President's temporary worker program does not do that and actually elevates the illegals already in the United States to the front of the line by simply allowing those that have broken our laws the opportunity to stay in the United States while they earn their citizenship. While I welcome the benefits that legal immigrants bring to the United States and understand the agriculture community desperately needs legal workers to fill those jobs when Americans cannot be found to do the work, Georgians have told me they want a responsible solution to our immigration crisis and the President's temporary worker program as outlined tonight is not a responsible solution."

Last March, Burns reiterated his long-held position concerning immigration reforms to secure our boarders, which includes:

* Deport illegal immigrants who are criminals, restrict government benefits from illegal aliens and substantially increase the penalties for committing document and benefit fraud;
* Secure our borders and enforce the current laws on the books;
* Create an effective legal guest worker program that does not include amnesty in any form; and
* Require illegal immigrants to return to their home countries and apply for legal access to our country through the new guest worker program

Last April Burns' opponent, Athens Congressman John Barrow, proposed amnesty for the estimated 11 million illegal aliens who are currently in the United States and at the same time freeze out anyone else who might want to legally enter our country. As reported by the Boston Globe, "In Barrow's view, the United States is bearing the brunt of a ‘tsunami' of immigration, and he doesn't see why the country needs any more immigrants right now. ‘We have 11 million illegal aliens we need to do a good job of assimilating into the country first,' he says."

"John Barrow is wrong too. America shouldn't be forced to absorb the 11 million illegal aliens that have broken our laws and entered our country illegally," said Burns. "What is more outrageous is that he wants to shun those who want to work through the process legally and become a productive member of a legal immigrant worker program."

http://www.maxburns.com/archive_detail.cfm?news_id=99