Elizabeth Dole '08

There was a lot of noise last week in the media and by my opponent regarding my efforts to help local law enforcement protect our streets and neighborhoods from crimes by illegal aliens in North Carolina. I’ll talk more about this in a moment, but first I want to address the larger issue of illegal immigration.

North Carolina has had one of the fastest-growing populations of illegal aliens in America. They’ve come here for two primary reasons. First, North Carolina has historically had a growing economy, so there were jobs. Second, the liberal politicians in Raleigh were very slow to address our lax laws regarding identification, so it was very easy to get a driver’s license in North Carolina and having identification – even if received through forgery or falsification – is very important to an illegal alien.

According to 2006 estimates from the non-partisan Federation for American Immigration Reform, about 400,000 illegal aliens live in North Carolina. FAIR estimates that the cost to North Carolina taxpayers for emergency health care, education and incarceration was $997 million in 2006 alone!

Granting amnesty to illegal aliens will provide them access to many more federal and state programs – greatly increasing their cost to taxpayers. Granting amnesty without securing our borders is an invitation for millions more to come to America – illegally. This is what happened in 1986 when we had an estimated 3 million illegal aliens, and now we have an estimated 12 to 20 million.

I have never hesitated nor beat around the bush regarding my position on illegal immigration. My position has been clear and unwavering:

• I have promoted and helped pass stronger border security measures. We must stop the massive influx of people coming into America illegally. We must gain control of our borders. No comprehensive immigration program has any chance of success if our borders are like Swiss cheese.

• I have opposed giving illegal aliens additional government benefits – including precious Social Security and Medicare benefits from a system that is already under financial stress.

• I have supported making English the official language of the United States.

• I support overturning Bill Clinton’s executive order, which requires government run agencies to have materials printed in various languages. If you are here legally and want to become a citizen, you must learn English.

• I have supported increased security measures at our nation’s ports and airports.

• I have passed a law that restricts visas to countries that will not take back their citizens who have been removed from the U.S. by court order.

• I have supported efforts for a properly functioning and verifiable temporary worker program.

• I have opposed amnesty for illegal aliens. I will continue to do so. I opposed and helped defeat three different attempts to provide amnesty to millions of illegal aliens. I opposed President Bush and some members of my own party in doing so.

Last summer, Washington tried to fool us again with promises to secure our borders and enforce our laws IF we legalized the millions of illegal aliens who are in America today. Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This experiment was attempted in 1986, and as I mentioned, the illegal alien population has at least quadrupled since then.

Once the comprehensive bill was defeated, I was troubled that the immigration issue was quickly swept off Washington’s priority list. So at every possible opportunity, I have worked to provide additional funding and resources for border security and internal law enforcement. I have even heard from colleagues who supported the comprehensive bill that in hindsight their judgment was wrong and now they are working intently on enforcement measures.

Most importantly, I traveled throughout North Carolina to talk with local law enforcement officials about the challenges and pressing issues that they faced. I took their concerns directly back to federal officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and asked them to put North Carolina in a unique position for a pilot program to address criminal illegal aliens.

The result has been a partnership over the last year where ICE and the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association have worked hand in hand to form a statewide plan to identify, apprehend and deport criminal aliens.

A handful of North Carolina counties were already using a program called 287(g), which allows local law enforcement officials to receive training and software necessary to determine if those arrested and entering their jails are U.S. citizens, and even if there is a current warrant out for their arrest in North Carolina or another state.

As part of the statewide plan, we are currently adding 287(g) programs, with Henderson County in the mountains and Cumberland and Wake Counties currently undergoing training. And it’s important to note that these programs have been fully paid for by the federal government.

But most importantly, the statewide plan involves many more tools and resources than just the 287(g) program. Many areas don’t have the detention space necessary to incorporate the program, nor is it financially prudent for the federal government to bring all North Carolina counties into the program.

In working with ICE officials, we’ve been able to identify other tools that North Carolina sheriffs can voluntarily use at no cost. Again, the goal is simply for local law enforcement officers to be able to identify who has been arrested for a crime and then for federal officials to remove these criminals from the country.

Some in the media have misrepresented my plan (accidentally of course), which has been in large part due to the misstatements of my opponent Mrs. Hagan. Simply put, Mrs. Hagan does not understand the immigration enforcement plan that I have worked on with federal officials and the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association since last year. The plan is statewide and comprehensive and is well on its way to completion.

North Carolina has become a model for the country in how we are enforcing our laws here in a state that has had a growing illegal immigration crisis. I’m proud to have helped lead the way on this effort.

My opponent, Mrs. Hagan, has been totally uninvolved on the immigration enforcement issue and now in a desperate political move, she held one meeting last week with a handful of sheriffs to try to learn something about what we’ve been working on for a year. She still has a complete lack of understanding of this issue and is woefully unprepared to discuss it in a thoughtful way.

First, Mrs. Hagan thinks the 287(g) program equates to the ICE/Sheriffs’ Association/Dole Plan.

That’s false. 287(g) is just one aspect of a statewide and comprehensive plan, which is the first and only one of its kind in the nation.

We’re pleased to have the most 287(g) programs in the country with a total of 7 counties participating, in addition to the Durham Police Department.

But let’s look at Mrs. Hagan’s inaccurate criticisms of just the 287(g) program.

Mrs. Hagan has called the 287(g) program an “unfunded mandate.” False…It’s entirely a voluntary program and is funded by the federal government.

Apparently Mrs. Hagan is referring to $750,000 in state funding that was requested by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. Mrs. Hagan initially criticized the necessity of the funding, before taking credit for it a day later.

Mrs. Hagan has called my statewide approach a “patchwork” plan because it’s enforcement “county by county.”

False again…This is the key point that Mrs. Hagan fails to understand as she attempts to play catch up on this issue. The plan that is being implemented currently by federal officials and the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is statewide and comprehensive. Every county in North Carolina that chooses to participate will have the tools necessary to work in coordination with federal officials to identify, apprehend, and deport criminal illegal aliens. Over the last year we have audited the state’s 100 counties and have identified areas where 287(g) is both necessary and possible. Those counties will fall under the 287(g) program, but the vast majority of counties will be eligible for many other resources. Again, all counties that choose to participate will be covered under the plan.

The partnership between the federal government and the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is working. North Carolina has asked for and received additional funding, resources and manpower from ICE that I am proud to have helped deliver.

A few years ago, North Carolina was deporting around 26 illegal criminal aliens a month, and now that number is well over 500 per month. Our statewide solution to address this issue is clearly working, and we will continue to lead the nation in this endeavor. Mrs. Hagan would rather rely on empty platitudes and play political games by asking Washington to fix the immigration problem. While Mrs. Hagan waits for Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi to cure the nation’s illegal immigration woes, North Carolina will be leading the way for the nation by implementing our enforcement plan.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Elizabeth