Reps. Candice Miller and Pete Sessions Cosponsor SAVE Act

Reps. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) and Pete Sessions (R-Texas) have added their names to the long list of cosponsors for Rep. Heath Shuler’s (D-N.C.) SAVE Act.

Rep. Candice Miller is serving her fourth term in the House and has earned a career immigration reduction grade of a B+. Rep. Pete Sessions is serving his seventh term in the House and has earned a career immigration reduction grade of an A.

The SAVE Act (H.R.3308) would use currently available tools and resources to increase interior enforcement of federal immigration laws.

In securing the borders, the SAVE Act would:

add 6,000 border patrol agents, utilizing new technology;
improve recruitment with focus on former agents and former members of the Armed Services and Reserves; and
create a pilot program to increase aerial surveillance, satellite and equipment sharing with the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense.

In fighting illegal hiring, the SAVE Act would:

make E-Verify mandatory for all employers;
increase monitoring of compliance of the E-Verify system;
require notification of identity theft; and
require information sharing between the Social Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security and the Internal Revenue Service.

In increasing interior enforcement, the SAVE Act would:

add ICE agents and increase grants to local law enforcement; and
expedite the deportation process by increasing detention capacity and the number of immigration judges.

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.