Claire wants our laws to be enforced, our borders protected, and employers held accountable for hiring illegal immigrants. The Bush Administration has failed to secure our borders and to take seriously the problem of illegal immigration. Claire does not support amnesty. As a former prosecutor, Claire believes people who break the law should be held accountable, both illegal immigrants and the employers who exploit them for cheap labor.
Eleven to twelve million illegal immigrants currently reside in the United States thanks to this Administration's failure to secure our borders. The Bush Administration has refused to enforce the laws we have on the books and clearly did not make border security or immigration reform a priority until an election year. Last year, President Bush chose to only fund 210 extra Border Patrol agents after Congress authorized an additional 10,000 agents over five years. In addition, audits of employers who use illegals has declined from 8,000 under the Clinton Administration to 2,200 in 2003. In 2004, only THREE employers were fined for hiring illegal labor. This was down from 1999, when 417 businesses were fined. This failure is inexcusable.
Until the President and Congress can move forward on this agenda, Claire does not believe we need any new guest worker programs undermining American workers. While building a fence along the border in some of our most porous areas is an appropriate first step, rampant illegal immigration will not be resolved until this Administration stops taking care of special interests who care more about access to cheap-labor than they do about securing our borders.
While the Bush Administration has neglected its duties, states and local government have borne the costs of cracking down on illegal immigration. This year, the President even proposed eliminating the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) which helps overburdened local municipalities deal with the costs of incarcerating illegals who commit crimes. Missouri received over $400,000 in 2005 for this vital program. The states have had to unfairly shoulder the costs of enforcing immigration laws because Washington has been shirking its duty. Claire will fight to make sure our states have the resources they need and she intends to hold Washington accountable for its failures to secure our borders.