In day two of my four-day series of some of the myths by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) about the Gang of Eight bill that is being rammed through the Senate by the Senator and his seven other colleagues, I address his claims that the bill includes some of the toughest border security requirements the U.S. has ever seen.
This legislation contains the toughest border immigration enforcement measures in U.S. history. It is based on six required security triggers that must be achieved before the newly legalized are allowed to apply for green cards.
- Sen. Rubio’s bill calls for border security only along narrow corridors, and will measure effective border security with a metric that does not yet exist and is to be developed by Secretary Janet Napolitano, who thinks she has done more than enough already to secure the border.
- A guarantee of a secure border and tough interior enforcement is not required by Sen. Rubio’s bill. The only thing that is required is a plan to accomplish these things—there are no consequences for the Secretary’s failure to secure the border.
- The E-Verify “trigger” should already be in place. Legislation to establish an electronic employment verification system was passed in 1996. Rubio’s bill would effectively neuter employment verification, exempting many employers and employees.
- A biometric entry/exit system has been required by law since 1996. Rubio’s bill weakens its provisions and does not require its implementation at land ports.
- Illegal aliens get amnesty even if the border is never secured. Once the DHS Secretary submits plans to secure the border and add fencing, illegal aliens get “registered provisional immigrant” status, which will not be taken away even if the security measures in the bill are never implemented.