Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) introduced legislation to bring more "guest workers" into the country while providing temporary visas for illegal workers already present after "appropriate background checks." The bill is dubbed the Worker Amnesty and Opportunity Act of 2003 H. R. 604. This bill amounts to a massive increase in the number of workers that will compete for the jobs that U.S. citizens need.

Dear Mr. [name witheld]: 

Thank you for contacting me about immigration reform. 

Illegal immigration and alien and drug smuggling have caused undeniable harm in Arizona communities. These issues continue to be important to me. I serve on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims, and working on this subcommittee allows me to work on the front lines of this issue that is critical to Arizona. For too long, Arizona has not had a fair shake in dealing with immigration matters and I look forward to working to correct this. 

Congress and the Administration have been working on beefing up the border, improving the visa-application process, and keeping better track of foreign visitors in our country. Without a doubt, security is our top priority. 

American and Mexican officials continue to meet on issues regarding our shared border with Mexico. As always, I believe that an amnesty for people who have chosen to illegally enter this country is a fundamentally flawed policy. It not only compromises our ability to know who is in the United States, but it also sends the wrong message to reward those who have willfully chosen to disobey the law. 

Rather than pursuing a well-intentioned but misguided amnesty, Congress and the President should consider an initiative that could alleviate many of the burdens that Arizona suffers due to the problem of illegal immigration. A guest worker program will direct the flow of workers into legal channels and promises to aid the government in getting a better handle on who is here and who is crossing the border. 

I wholeheartedly support the concept of a guest-worker visa program and have already met with various groups in order to best formulate my policy, which I will introduce this year.

There is a demand in the U.S. for labor that many Mexicans are willing to supply. Rather than turning a blind eye to that fact, I support a program that would allow these workers legal entry into the U.S. so that they can perform the jobs that U.S. employers are offering. This legal framework would allow the U.S. to collect taxes and would provide the workers a safe and legal way to return to their homes and families. 

Sincerely,

Jeff Flake

Member of Congress

JF:mk