Praise for the Feinstein/Kyl bill

Robert Robb, Editorial Columnist, Arizona Republic, November 5, 2001

"But immigration is no longer just an economic and cultural issue. After Sept. 11, it is very much a national security issue as well...Arizona's Republican Sen. Jon Kyl and California's Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein have proposed sweeping immigration policy changes. Their legislation would require foreigners to carry "biometric smart visa" cards that would contain fingerprints and other personal information. In a news conference, Kyl was quick and careful to say that this is not a step toward a national identity card. But if the technology exists, why not? Effective enforcement of our immigration laws requires a national identity card. Otherwise, the effort bogs down in practical questions about who has to have and produce what ID under what circumstances, with the stench of discrimination hovering over the decision."

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U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, Editorial, Washington Post, October 13, 2001

"According to the Justice Department, only nine of the 19 suspected terrorists were legally in the United States. And the INS has detained 160 foreign nationals thought to be connected to the terrorist attacks. Our land borders are too porous and offer an open invitation to those who want to harm us. As a result, our immigration policy will change. Talk of more open borders will subside. Theoretical and utopian views will give way to more realistic and practical approaches. On one hand, we should resist the urge to overreact. On the other, we should hasten to enforce laws and pass new ones that will make our country safer. Some examples:

• Monitor those who enter on temporary tourist or work or student visas to make sure they depart as expected. More than one-third of all illegal aliens entered legally but overstayed their allotted time.
• Require certain immigration documents to have biometric identifiers, such as fingerprints, so they can't be used fraudulently."

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Rob Roy, President, Ventura County Agricultural Association (as quoted in the November 11, 2001 Los Angeles Times)

"I think Elton has the national security interest here," Roy said. "There's a lot of broad-based bipartisan support on these issues, and they're a direct response to terrorism, not an overhaul of the immigration system in the United States."