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Foxx also introduces legislation to deny loans from federal agencies to illegal aliens

Last night, United States Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.-5) helped lead the national movement to stop illegal immigration by co-sponsoring and voting for H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The bill strengthens American borders, cracks down on those who hire illegal aliens, increases the punishment for those who smuggle people into our country illegally and expedites the swift deportation of illegal aliens. Rep. Foxx was one of just three original co-sponsors to join House Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner in introducing this legislation.

“We cannot have a secure nation without secure borders,” said Rep. Foxx. “Every day that we fail to secure our borders is another day when a hardened criminal or even a terrorist might slip through the cracks. Illegal aliens must be caught and removed – not simply caught and released, and those who knowingly employ illegal aliens must be held accountable and face stiff consequences. Our nation's security is at risk and nothing else is more important.”

H.R. 4437 includes key provisions that:

• Institute employment eligibility verification systems that will check Social Security numbers and alien identification numbers against Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security databases to ensure that potential employees are legal citizens.
• Increase civil and criminal penalties for knowingly hiring or employing an illegal worker.
• Empower local sheriffs in the 29 counties along the southern border to enforce immigration laws and collaborate with Federal law enforcement.
• Stiffen penalties for illegal alien smuggling, including mandatory minimum sentences.
• Increase DHS authority for long term detention and for strengthened removal process.
• Establish tougher penalties for illegal aliens who re-enter the United States after being deported.

Rep. Foxx also introduced her own immigration reform bill today, HR 4580, dubbed the STOP L.O.A.N. Act (STOP Loans Offered to illegal Aliens Now Act) to prohibit federal agencies from approving loans to illegal aliens. Her bill would require that name, date of birth, and Social Security number be checked to ensure that loan applicants are lawfully present in the U.S.

“An important step to securing our borders is to deny government services to illegal aliens,” said Rep. Foxx. “If we are going to require private employers to verify the legal status of employees, it only makes sense that we hold the government to the same standard.”

Rep. Foxx was motivated to introduce her bill after learning that illegal aliens like Gilberto Cruz Hernandez, who is accused of eight rapes in the Piedmont Triad, have easily obtained federal loans. Hernandez received a $123,000 Federal Housing Administration loan that allowed him buy a new home in Winston-Salem despite the fact that he had been deported back to Mexico by the U.S. Border Patrol 16 months earlier.

“What has happened with Mr. Hernandez shows how easy it is for illegal aliens to take many of the privileges of an American citizen even when the authorities have previously determined they are here illegally,” said Rep. Foxx. “This case is further illustration of why we need to crack down on illegal immigration.”

The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that over 300,000 illegal aliens live in North Carolina. “These individuals are breaking the law and their behavior should not be tolerated or rewarded. America is a beacon of freedom and opportunity for the world, but while we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws. Only those who are in this country legally should receive these benefits,” said Rep. Foxx.

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