Legislation #1
Strengthening America’s Security Act of 2005

The bill creates a new Assistant Attorney General for Immigration Enforcement and increases the number of prosecutors, immigration judges, and federal pubic defenders to expedite immigration related litigation.

The bill requires the Customs and Border Protection to work with the Army Corp of Engineers determine the best way to close tunnels under the border and build needed fences.

The bill expands the use of Expedited Removal (currently only allowed at Ports of Entry) so that aliens captured near the border can be quickly returned – minimizing detention or lengthy hearing processes.

The bill increases criminal penalties for:

alien smuggling

document fraud

misuse of Social Security numbers

and drug trafficking offenses committed by illegal aliens

The bill makes any alien who is a member of a criminal street gang deportable, even if he has not been convicted of a crime.

The bill requires a $5,000 bond for release of undocumented aliens from "non-contiguous countries" who are captured near the border.

The bill authorizes construction of additional detention facilities for undocumented aliens.

The bill re-authorizes the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program for reimbursing states for their expenses in dealing with undocumented aliens.

The bill increases the number of Customs and Border Protection officers by 1,250 over 5 years.

The bill authorizes funds to pay for the 2,000 border patrol agents Congress added in last year’s Intelligence Reform bill.

The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to acquire and use technology to gain operational control of the border, like unmanned aerial vehicles, cameras and sensors.

The bill provides for construction of new infrastructure along the border, like roads, barriers, and border patrol facilities.

The bill requires Customs and Border Protection officers to under go training to detect fraudulent documents and it gives them access to the federal Forensic Document Laboratory.

The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to report Congress about which documents need to be machine-readable and tamper-resistant.

The bill expressly authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to collect biometric data from entering aliens and makes an alien's refusal to provide biometric data a ground of inadmissibility.

The bill requires the Customs and Border Protection to work with the Army Corp of Engineers to determine the best way to close tunnels under the border and build needed fences.

The bill automatically cancels visas for aliens who violate the terms of their admission into the U.S.

The bill sets up a $10 million dollar grant program for Indian Tribes along the border to help secure those areas.

The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to automate storage of alien records in electronic format.

Legislation #2
The Employment Verification Act of 2005

This bill establishes a nation-wide electronic employer enforcement verification system. This system will allow employers to immediately verify with the Department of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the Social Security Administration, that an individual is authorized to work in the United States.

The system would be managed by DHS in conjunction with the Social Security Administration.

The system will allow all employers to immediately verify whether an individual is authorized to work in the U.S.

The system will be phased-in over a 5 year period, starting with large employers. The legislation includes protections to ensure that the system will not result in hiring discrimination based on race or national origin, nor will it interfere with the regular hiring process.

Employers who use the system will receive a "safe-harbor" from prosecution for hiring unauthorized workers.

The bill reduces the number of documents that can be used to verify employment authorization.

The bill increases penalties for unauthorized employment and claims of false citizenship.