NumbersUSA Recognizes the Original Sponsors of the CLEAR Act

Overview

State and local police are badly needed to help overwhelmed federal immigration authorities apprehend and detain illegal aliens in the interior of our country.

Only about 5,000 active agents are enforcing immigration laws in the interior of the country
There are 11-18 million illegal aliens in the United States with hundreds of thousands more arriving every year
Illegal aliens outnumber federal immigration agents 2,200-to-1
More than 600,000 state and local law enforcement officers come into contact with illegal aliens every day
Many state and local officers are unsure of their authority when they come in contact with illegal aliens who have committed no additional crimes
Some state and local policies even forbid officers from cooperating with federal immigration agents, despite a federal law prohibiting such policies

The CLEAR Act (H.R.2406) clarifies state and local officers' authority to detain illegal aliens and requires the federal government to respond to state and local requests to pick up and remove the illegal aliens.

Introduced by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on May 14, 2009, the CLEAR Act:

increases SCAAP funds for communities that work with, and not against, federal immigration enforcement efforts, and recognizes the important role local governments’ play in securing our homeland;
provides recognition of inherent state and local law enforcement authority to help enforce immigration law, but leaves it up to individual agencies to determine how big a role they will play;
improves information sharing with the federal government;
sets requirements for the federal government to expeditiously remove criminal aliens; and
increases federal resources for local governments that choose to assist in immigration enforcement.

Clear Act of 2009 summary

Clear Act of 2009 two-pager

Clear Act of 2009 Dear Colleague letter

Previous versions of the CLEAR Act:

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Related Issues

Update

Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 10:06 AM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

Elected Officials Who...

Sponsored the CLEAR Act of 2011
Updated Thursday, December 8, 2011, 2:32 PM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

Total 62 Sponsors

(AL) Bachus
(AL) Brooks
(AZ) Franks
(AZ) Gosar
(AZ) Schweikert
(AR) Womack
(AR) Young
(CA) Bilbray
(CA) Calvert
(CA) Dreier
(CA) Hunter
(CA) Miller
(CA) Royce
(CO) Coffman
(CO) Lamborn
(FL) Miller
(FL) Nugent
(FL) Posey
(FL) Ross
(GA) Gingrey
(GA) Graves
(GA) Price
(GA) Westmoreland
(GA) Woodall
(ID) Simpson
(IA) King
(KS) Jenkins
(KY) Davis
(LA) Boustany
(MD) Emerson
(MD) Harris
(MI) Benishek
(MI) McCotter
(MI) Rogers

(MN) Kline
(MN) Cravaack
(MO) Akin
(MO) Long
(NV) Heller
(NC) Coble
(NC) Jones
(NC) McIntyre
(NC) Myrick
(OH) Turner
(OK) Sullivan
(PA) Barletta
(PA) Fitzpatrick
(TN) Black
(TN) Blackburn
(TN) DesJarlais
(TN) Duncan
(TN) Roe
(TX) Carter
(TX) Carter
(TX) Flores
(TX) Hensarling
(TX) Johnson
(TX) Marchant
(TX) McCaul
(TX) Sessions
(UT) Chaffetz
(VA) Goodlatte
(VA) Wittman
(WV) McKinley

Official H.R. 100 cosponsor list

Elected Officials Who...

Sponsored the LEAVE Act (H.R.1196)
Updated Friday, July 8, 2011, 12:20 PM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

Total 8 Sponsors

(AL) Brooks
(CA) Bilbray
(CA) Campbell
(CA) Miller

(CA)Royce
(NC) Myrick
(PA) Platts
(TX) Marchant

Official H.R. 1196 cosponsor list

When Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) reintroduced the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal (CLEAR) Act (H.R. 2406), the bill had 19 cosponsors. NumbersUSA recognizes those 19 original cosponsors for their commitment to increasing interior enforcement.

The CLEAR Act would authorize the federal government to reimburse states and localities for up to $400 million per year for the costs of incarcerating illegal aliens. Pres. Barack Obama's FY2010 budget proposal eliminates all funding for this program, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). In addition to continuing the funding for SCAAP, the CLEAR Act also would provide the following enhancements to promote effective enforcement of immigration law:

Recognition of the inherent authority of states and localities to enforce immigration law;
Improved information sharing between state and local governments and the federal government;
A mandate for the federal government to expeditiously remove criminal aliens being detained by states and localities; and
Increased federal resources for local governments that choose to assist in immigration enforcement.

Original Cosponsors of the CLEAR Act

	(AZ) Trent Franks Career Grade: A-
	(CA) Brian Bilbray Career Grade: A
	(CA) Tom McClintock Career Grade: No votes
	(CA) Ed Royce Career Grade: A+
	(CA) Dana Rohrabacher Career Grade: A+
	(CO) Doug Lamborn Career Grade: A-
	(GA) Paul Broun Career Grade: A+
	(GA) Tom Price Career Grade: A-
	(FL) Ginny Brown-Waite Career Grade: A
	(ID) Mike Simpson Career Grade: B
	(IN) Mike Pence Career Grade: B
	(LA) John Fleming Career Grade: A
	(MI) Mike Rogers Career Grade: B
	(MO) Todd Akin Career Grade: A
	(NV) Dean Heller Career Grade: A
	(OK) Tom Cole Career Grade: B
	(PA) Joseph Pitts Career Grade: B
	(SC) Henry Brown Career Grade: B
	(TX) Kenny Marchant Career Grade: B+