James Sensenbrenner, January 27, 2005

Last month, Congress passed and President Bush signed into law legislation intended to address the 9/11 Commission's work. However, as a result of the Senate's unwillingness to compromise, this legislation failed to include a number of provisions critical to our anti-terrorism efforts. I voted against that bill, and continued to work to raise the threat that illegal immigration pose to our homeland security. I found support for my efforts from folks in Wisconsin and throughout the nation as my office was inundated with telephone calls encouraging me to stand firm, and not cave to those who just wanted to pass a bill.

Although the Intelligence bill did not include the immigration and homeland security provisions I sought, it did help me bring the issue of illegal immigrants to the forefront of the national debate. To close this security loophole, on January 26, I introduced the Real ID Act. The goal of the Real ID Act is straightforward: it seeks to prevent another 9/11-type attack by disrupting terrorist travel.

First, my legislation does not try to set state policy for who may or may not drive a car, but it does address the use of a driver's license as a form of identification to a federal official. The Real ID Act will establish a uniform rule for all states that temporary drivers' licenses for foreign visitors will expire when their visa terms expire, and it will establish tough rules for confirming identity before temporary drivers' licenses are issued.

Second, this legislation will tighten our asylum system, which has been abused by terrorists. The Real ID Act will reduce the opportunity for immigration fraud, so we protect honest asylum seekers and stop rewarding the terrorists and criminals who falsely claim persecution. We can no longer give benefits to those aliens who concoct bogus political asylum stories.

Third, the Real ID Act will expeditiously close the three-mile hole in the San Diego border security fence, which is still stymied eight years after congressional authorization.

The Real ID Act contains one final common-sense provision that helps protect Americans from terrorists in the U.S. Currently, certain terrorism-related grounds of inadmissibility are not grounds for deportation. The Real ID Act makes aliens deportable from the U.S. for terrorism-related offenses to the same extent that they would be inadmissible to the U.S.

Wisconsin is one of about ten states that permit illegal immigrants to obtain drivers' licenses. To remedy this situation, legislation will be introduced in the Wisconsin State Legislature to prohibit this dangerous practice from continuing. I hope that this state bill passes swiftly, and is signed into law by Governor Doyle. This bill complements my efforts to create a uniform rule amongst the fifty states regarding drivers' licenses.

I received assurances from House leaders that the Real ID Act is a top priority this year and will be attached to the first piece of must-pass legislation. For the safety of our nation, I anticipate a vote on the House floor in the near future.

Congressman James Sensenbrenner, a Republican, represents the Fifth Congressional District of Wisconsin. He serves as chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary. The Fifth District of Wisconsin forms an arc surrounding Milwaukee to the North and West, and includes parts of Jefferson, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, and all of Ozaukee and Washington counties.