THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
October 26, 2006
Fact Sheet
The Secure Fence Act Of 2006
"This bill will help protect the American
people. This bill will make our borders more secure. It
is an important step toward immigration reform." -
President George W. Bush, 10/26/06
Today, President Bush Signed The Secure
Fence Act - An Important Step Forward In Our Nation's Efforts
To Control Our Borders And Reform Our Immigration System.
Earlier this year, the President laid out a strategy for
comprehensive immigration reform. The Secure Fence Act is
one part of this reform, and the President will work with
Congress to finish the job and pass the remaining elements
of this strategy.
The Secure Fence Act Builds On Progress
Securing The Border
By Making Wise Use Of Physical Barriers
And Deploying 21st Century Technology, We Can Help Our Border
Patrol Agents Do Their Job And Make Our Border More Secure.
The Secure Fence Act:
• Authorizes the construction of hundreds
of miles of additional fencing along our Southern border;
• Authorizes more vehicle barriers,
checkpoints, and lighting to help prevent people from entering
our country illegally;
• Authorizes the Department of Homeland
Security to increase the use of advanced technology like
cameras, satellites, and unmanned aerial vehicles to reinforce
our infrastructure at the border.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Begins
With Securing The Border.
Since President Bush took office, we have:
• More than doubled funding for border
security - from $4.6 billion in 2001 to $10.4 billion this
year;
• Increased the number of Border Patrol
agents from about 9,000 to more than 12,000 - and by the
end of 2008, we will have doubled the number of Border Patrol
agents since the President took office;
• Deployed thousands of National Guard
members to assist the Border Patrol;
• Upgraded technology at our borders
and added infrastructure, including new fencing and vehicle
barriers;
• Apprehended and sent home more than
6 million people entering America illegally; and
• We are adding thousands of new beds
in our detention facilities, so we can continue working
to end "catch and release" at our Southern border.
This Act Is One Part Of Our Effort To Reform
Our Immigration System, And We Have More Work To Do
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Requires
That We Enforce Our Immigration Laws Inside America.
It is against the law to knowingly hire
illegal workers, so the Administration has stepped up worksite
enforcement. Many businesses want to obey the law, but cannot
verify the legal status of their employees because of the
widespread problem of document fraud, so the President has
also called on Congress to create a better system for verifying
documents and work eligibility.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Requires
That We Reduce The Pressure On Our Border By Creating A
Lawful Path For Foreign Workers To Enter Our Country On
A Temporary Basis.
A temporary worker program would meet the
needs of our economy, reduce the appeal of human smugglers,
make it less likely that people would risk their lives to
cross the border, and ease the financial burden on State
and local governments by replacing illegal workers with
lawful taxpayers. Above all, a temporary worker program
would add to our security by making certain we know who
is in our country and why they are here.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Requires
That We Face The Reality That Millions Of Illegal Immigrants
Are Here Already.
The President opposes amnesty but believes
there is a rational middle ground between granting an automatic
path to citizenship for every illegal immigrant and a program
of mass deportation. Illegal immigrants who have roots in
our country and want to stay should have to pay a meaningful
penalty for breaking the law, pay their taxes, learn English,
work in a job for a number of years, and wait in line behind
those who played by the rules and followed the law.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Requires
That We Honor The Great American Tradition Of The Melting
Pot.
Americans are bound together by our shared
ideals, an appreciation of our history, respect for the
flag we fly, and an ability to speak and write the English
language. When immigrants assimilate and advance in our
society, they realize their dreams, renew our spirit, and
add to the unity of America.
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