Immigration Grades Offer Insight
Into Whether New Homeland Security Chairman
Will Make America More Secure

WASHINGTON, DC – Americans for Better Immigration (ABI) today announced the immigration grades of seven candidates to replace former Representative Chris Cox (R-CA) as chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.  Cox resigned as chairman on August 2, 2005 to become chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

“It is imperative that the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee fully understand how immigration policy affects the physical security as well as the economic, quality-of-life and health security of our nation,” said Roy Beck, Executive Director of ABI.  “These grades show each candidate’s track record on immigration policy, border security, and interior enforcement.  They are a good indicator of how serious each candidate is about preventing terrorists and other criminal aliens from entering the United States and victimizing Americans.”

Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI) has the best grade of all the candidates.  His A puts him in the top 25 percent of all House Republicans.  Reps. Linder (R-GA), Lungren (R-CA), and Young (R-AK) also have grades well above the House Republican median of B.  Because the grades cover actions only since 1990, Rep. Lungren’s first five terms in the House (and, for example, his authorship of an amnesty bill, H.R. 1061, in the 99^th Congress) are not included.  His grade is based only on his actions since he re-entered the House in January of this year.

The percentage grades of Reps. Thornberry (R-TX) and Weldon (R-PA) are slightly below average for House Republicans.  Rep. Thornberry’s lower grade reflects his support for the 245(i) amnesty.  Rep. Weldon, on the other hand, has generally opposed amnesty, but he voted against expedited removal last year and has consistently voted against worksite enforcement of immigration laws.

Only five House Republicans have worse immigration voting records than Rep. Peter King.  He has consistently voted for and cosponsored amnesty bills.  He voted against expedited removal last year.  He also voted against the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

The full Grade Card for each Member, along with the criteria for grading and the listing of all actions graded, can be viewed by going to www.CongressGrades.org.


ABI is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1997 to help citizens evaluate the immigration actions of their Members of Congress. The grades are based on a systematic, consistent set of criteria weighing all votes and sponsorships since 1990 (through last month) of bills to increase or reduce the number of aliens entering and remaining in the United States each year.  The grades are updated weekly.

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