An amendment offered by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) Wednesday to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill aims to increase border security efforts by $3 billion, a Senate office press release claimed. The amendment, which is co-sponsored by nine Republican Senators including Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) – both of whom were outspoken opponents of the previous comprehensive immigration reform package – includes additional funding and policy changes affecting border security and interior enforcement efforts.

“There are at least half a dozen major changes in policy we have to make as a nation to get the problems of illegal immigration under control,” said Graham. “The comprehensive approach, where we made all the necessary changes in one fell swoop, failed.

“Just because it failed does not mean the problems posed by illegal immigration have gone away.”

Undeterred, Graham believes that this measure – what he called a “plan B” – is an effective way to address major changes in immigration policy one piece at a time.

“Today, we’re addressing border security, visa overstays, sanctuary cities, and other important issues,” said South Carolina’s Senior Senator. “There’s no doubt that operational control of our southern border is a national security imperative.

“We must regain control of our border and this much-needed emergency funding will play an important role in making that happen.”

Graham further noted that Congressman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, a leading member of the Democratic House leadership, recently said comprehensive immigration reform will have to wait at least six years until the second term of a prospective Democratic presidency. But Graham was quick to note that he does not believe immigration reform can wait that long.

Sens. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), and John Sununu (R-N.H.) also sponsored the bill.

“This amendment is a step in the right direction and the beginning of what I expect will be a longer, more drawn out effort to reform our nation’s immigration practices,” concluded Graham.

MAJOR PROVISIONS

Border Security:

• The U.S. government must achieve full operational control over 100 percent of the U.S.-Mexico land border.
• The hiring, training and deploying of 23,000 Border Patrol agents.
• 4 unmanned aerial vehicles and 105 ground-based radar and camera towers.
• 300 miles of permanent vehicle barriers and 700 miles of border fencing.
• 45,000 detention beds to put a permanent end to ‘Catch and Release.’

Interior Enforcement:

• Requires a total of 14,500 new Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) agents through Fiscal Year 2012 – a total of approximately 30,000 CBP agents overall – as well as increased hires of new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
• Addresses the issue of Sanctuary Cities by prohibiting cities from banning the obtaining of information on immigration status by their own law enforcement agencies.
• Builds upon the King Amendment in the House of Representatives, which grants civil liability protection to those who report possible threats to our nation’s transportation system.
• Provides additional funding for Operation Jump Start which maintains a National Guard presence along the Southern border.
• Strengthens current law on criminal aliens to deny immigration benefits to aggravated felons, gang members, terrorists, sex offenders, and child abusers. The bill also expands the Institutional Removal Program and gives the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the ability to detain criminal aliens for an extended period of time before they can be removed.
• Gives states and local law enforcement new authorities to detain illegal aliens and transfer them into DHS custody. It also allows state and local law enforcement authorities to use homeland security grants for 287(g) training and provides funding to cover the costs of detaining and transporting criminal aliens.
• Addresses Visa Overstays by requiring DHS to detain aliens who willfully overstay their period of authorized admission for more than 60 days.
• Addresses illegal reentry by increasing criminal penalties and sets mandatory minimum prison sentences for aliens who have been removed and illegally re-enter our country.
• Provides for Expedited Removal by restricting the impact of outdated court injunctions that currently prevent DHS from transferring certain illegal immigrants into expedited removal and returning them to their country of origin as soon as circumstances allow.
• Addresses US-Visit and Entry Inspecting by clarifying DHS’s authority to collect biometric entry and exit data at U.S. ports of entry. It also requires DHS to provide Congress a timeline for implementing US-VISIT at all land border ports of entry.
• Requires DHS to enhance Basic Pilot Program to help facilitate broader us by employers as well as improve accuracy and efficiency.