July 17, 2010 at 11:12 PM
VIDEO: Pamela Gorman on Illegal Immigration and Border Security

While many across the country have recently discovered there is a problem at the Arizona border, I have been actively working with my fellow legislators on this issue for years. 

As a co-sponsor of SB 1070, I agree with the bill's author (Senator Russell Pearce) that our state cannot sit by and do nothing to protect its citizens while the federal government blatantly refuses to enforce their own laws.  There is clearly too much at stake for Arizona's economic health specifically, but for the entire country's national security generally.   The citizens who live in this little corner of America should demand that their government protect them from foreign aggression and unsafe living conditions.  By passing this law (which mirrors the federal law) in our own state statutes, our local law enforcement was given tools it needed to facilitate the federal immigration officers in apprehending foreign people who are in our country illegally.

I have actively worked on this issue at the national level when serving on a Homeland Security Task Force with ALEC, where I set about a few years ago to organize a "Border Academy" for state legislators from all across the country.  I was also invited to represent the border state legislators on a panel at the Nation Press Club, moderated by George Allen.  Until recently, those of us who sounded the alarm on the ravages of our open border on our economy, our safety, and our national security were regarded as alarmists.  It is greatly satisfying to finally see this security crisis receiving the national attention it deserves.

In Congress, I will fight to be sure that this border is secured through a combination of infrastructure, manpower, technology, and a real directive for our forces to clean out the drug cartel activity and use whatever force necessary to protect the American citizens in the area and themselves.  We simply must get this national security risk brought under control and we must stop leaving our citizens vulnerable to foreign invasion.

- Pamela Gorman