Press Release

Day Demands Immigration Overhaul, Border Security

Congressional Candidate’s Plan Reclaims Control of US Borders, Creates Biometric Identification Program, Prosecutes “Sanctuary Cities”

Declaring Washington’s commitment to immigration law enforcement abandoned, today State Senator Dick Day (R-Owatonna) launched a campaign to reclaim control of America’s borders.

Day, who announced his campaign for the First Congressional District in March, says illegal immigration is one of the most commonly and passionately voiced concerns he hears from voters – and he vows a reform plan will be the first bill he’ll author if elected to Congress next year.

Congress’s failure to adequately address the issue is unacceptable, Day says, and has motivated him to run on a platform that will remove opportunities and incentives for foreigners to illegally enter the United States, for businesses to unlawfully employ these workers and for cities to shelter them.

“I understand how frustrated Southern Minnesotans are with illegal immigration. They’re sick of footing the bill for 12 million law breakers and they’ve lost faith in elected officials who are looking the other way,” Day said today. “We’ve gotten to the point where America’s borders mean nothing. I want Minnesotans to know I agree that’s outrageous and I believe it’s time to overhaul this system that tolerates insecurity, surging taxpayer costs and crime.”

Day’s immigration proposal focuses on four key steps – border security, immigrant identification, sanctuary city crackdowns and a strict and limited guest worker program. Coupled with greater resources to enforce current immigration laws, Day says his plan will reclaim America’s sovereignty and security.

First and foremost, Day would require a physical border barrier in high population-density areas like urban California. In sparsely populated countryside of New Mexico, Texas and Arizona, Day would employ a “virtual fence” which uses aerial surveillance cameras to patrol the border from overhead and instantly alert local border patrols if intruders are seen illegally crossing into the U.S.

Though Congress approved 700 miles of border fencing in last year’s “Fence Security Act,” they have not adequately funded the project and to date only 15 miles of the border have actually been secured, according to the Department of Homeland Security. “For the strongest nation on earth to have lost operational control of its borders is embarrassing and dangerous. Before we have any chance of getting a handle on illegal immigration, we need to regain authority over our borders,” Day explained. “I’d give the federal government nine months to finish building the final 685 miles and get surveillance up over the rest of the border. If Congress can vote for billions in pork barrel earmarks, they can find enough money to protect our country.”

The second aspect of Day’s plan would identify and track every foreign national entering the United States for any reason. All tourists, student and work visa applicants and current foreign nationals attempting to renew their visas would be issued a tamper-proof biometric identification card.

The plastic ID cards could be instantly created at airports and border crossings and would contain digitized records of each individual’s name, photo, current address, date of birth, country of origin, visa expiration date and multiple finger prints. “There is absolutely no reason VISA and Mastercard should do a better job than the US government at keeping track of people. We have the technology to put an end to fraudulent documentation – we simply need the political will to get it done now,” Day continued.

A third hallmark of Day’s immigration plan would penalize “sanctuary cities” -- like New York, Los Angeles, and even Minneapolis – that refuse to enforce US immigration laws or notify federal authorities of illegal residents. Under his plan, these cities would suffer the loss of federal government aid until they come into compliance. “We have mayors encouraging illegal immigrants to partake in taxpayer subsidized government programs and promising these lawbreakers that the city will not turn them in to authorities,” explained Day. “If common sense and duty don’t motivate them to uphold America’s laws, maybe a little financial pressure will.”

Finally, Day proposes a temporary worker program that could grant immigrants who apply from outside of the US a one year permit to live in America and work at a job no citizen will fill. Day’s worker program would be available to immigrants who pass background checks and abide by state and federal laws. His proposal would impose stiff fines on businesses that knowingly employ illegal immigrants – an offense he says will be blatant after the ID cards and database are created. Day says he will continue meeting with business owners, labor unions, law enforcement and workers in order to fine tune a temporary worker program that meets the needs of Minnesota’s agriculture and meat processing industries without allowing companies to flaunt federal law.

Other aspects of Day’s proposal could include mandatory US prison time for immigrants repeatedly caught illegally crossing or transporting other immigrants across our borders, a requirement that all states must administer drivers license tests in English and overall encouragement for greater immigrant assimilation and integration.

“America is a nation of immigrants. My ancestors came over from Europe and there’s no doubt we’re better for the opportunity. But America is also a nation of laws - if we start tolerating lawlessness on this scale, I promise you the costs and crimes will soon go far beyond illegal immigration,” Day concluded. “A voter gave me this analogy the other day: America is our home. We have a right to know who is entering it, that they intend to respect our rules and that they want to be a productive, integrated part of our family. That’s pretty tough logic to argue with.”

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