Rick Perry - Immigration

Summary

Governor Perry supports open borders, sanctuary city policies, benefits for illegal aliens, and amnesty for illegal aliens through a comprehensive immigration reform plan. During election times, Governor Perry has spoke about the need to secure the border and occasionally speaks out against sanctuary cities. However, outside of the election, Governor Perry has signed legislation to grant in-state tuition to illegal aliens, kept in place guidelines to prevent law enforcement from finding illegal aliens, and opposed efforts from other states to enforce immigration laws. He has stated that there are jobs that people from Mexico will do but US citizens will not. 

One of the first pieces of legislation that Governor Perry supported and signed after taking office was the Texas version of the DREAM Act. The law allows illegal aliens to pay in state tuition rates at Texas colleges.  In a question during the BELO debate in 2010, Governor Perry stated that other US citizens could "move on down to Texas and become a citizen and they'll be ready for it," when asked why he would support in-state tuition for illegal aliens but not for other citizens. In 2009 Governor Perry stated that punishing children by not allowing them to pay in-state tuition because their parents brought them to the US illegally was not what the US was about. Around this same time, Governor Perry proposed the idea of bi-national health insurance between Mexico and the US.

Governor Perry has spoken often about the need to secure the border. He has written numerous op-eds and given several speeches noting that border security is a responsibility of the federal government and that it is failing in it's responsibility. He has also criticized the movement of criminal aliens through Texas to be released in Mexico, and has criticized the lack of funds for incarcerating illegal aliens.

In 2004, Governor Perry stated that he supported efforts by President Bush to establish a guest worker program to allow aliens to enter the country legally and then work and return home. In support of this plan, Governor Perry noted that bringing the labor of illegal aliens off the black market legitimizes the labor of those people and removes the incentive to enter illegally. Governor Perry proposes the plan as a better method of securing the border and preventing illegal immigration - a guest worker program that legally allows anyone who desires to enter the country to do so legally.

When Arizona enacted legislation to allow law enforcement officers to inquire about immigration status of those it was already in contact with, Governor Perry opposed the move and called it the wrong direction for Texas. He stated that turning law enforcement officers into immigration officers removed them from their task of protecting the people. These statements are counter to those made numerous times by Governor Perry when he asserted the success of multiple cross-bureau operations involving crime along the border and illegal immigration. Governor Perry stated that no matter what the color of the uniform, increased law presence and enforcement decreased crime.

During the 2010 election and the run up to a possible 2012 presidential bid, Governor Perry spoke against and threatened to move on sanctuary cities. However, the Texas Department of Public Safety policy mirrors the policies that define a "sanctuary city" in which officers are forbidden from inquiring about immigration status.

In August of 2011, Governor Perry sent a letter to the federal government asking for $349 million in funds to repay the state for incarcerating illegal aliens. 

Texas DREAM Act

In May of 2001, Governor Perry signed House Bill 1403. This legislation allowed illegal aliens who graduate from a Texas public high school to attend a Texas college at the in state tuition rate.

AN ACT relating to the eligibility of certain persons to qualify as residents of this state for purposes of higher education tuition or to pay tuition at the rate provided to residents of this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 54.051(m), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Unless the student establishes residency as provided by Section 54.052(j) or 54.057, tuition for a student who is a citizen [are citizens] of any country other than the United States of America is the same as the tuition required of other nonresident students.

SECTION 2. Section 54.052, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (j) to read as follows:

(j) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, an individual shall be classified as a Texas resident until the individual establishes a residence outside this state if the individual resided with the individual's parent, guardian, or conservator while attending a public or private high school in this state and:

(1) graduated from a public or private high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in this state; (2) resided in this state for at least three years as of the date the person graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma; (3) registers as an entering student in an institution of higher education not earlier than the 2001 fall semester; and (4) provides to the institution an affidavit stating that the individual will file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity the individual is eligible to do so.

SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 54.0551 to read as follows:

Sec. 54.0551. CHANGE OF RESIDENCE; ONE PARENT REMAINING IN STATE. An individual who is 18 years of age or under or is a dependent and who, along with the individual's parents, was formerly a resident of this state is entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided for Texas residents if: (1) the individual and the parent who is the individual's managing conservator or who is the individual's joint managing conservator with whom the individual primarily resides change their legal residence from this state to another state; and (2) the other parent who is the individual's possessory conservator or who is the individual's joint managing conservator with whom the individual does not primarily reside continues to reside in this state and is not delinquent on the payment of any child support.

SECTION 4. Section 54.057(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) An alien who is living in this country under a visa permitting permanent residence or who has applied to or has a petition pending with the Immigration and Naturalization Service to attain lawful status under federal immigration law has the same privilege of qualifying for resident status for tuition and fee purposes under this subchapter as has a citizen of the United States. A resident alien residing in a junior college district located immediately adjacent to Texas boundary lines shall be charged the resident tuition by that junior college.

SECTION 5. Section 54.060(b), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) The foreign student tuition fee prescribed in this chapter does not apply to a foreign student who is a resident of a nation situated adjacent to Texas, who registers in any general academic teaching institution, as defined in Section 61.003(3), or component of the Texas State Technical College System in a county immediately adjacent to the nation in which the foreign student resides or who registers for lower division courses at a community or junior college having a partnership agreement pursuant to Subchapter N, Chapter 51, with an upper-level university and both institutions are located in the county immediately adjacent to the nation in which the foreign student resides, or who registers in Texas A&M University--Kingsville, Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi, or The University of Texas at San Antonio and, except as provided by this subsection, who demonstrates a financial need after the financial resources of the foreign student and the student's family are considered. The foreign student described in this subsection shall pay tuition equal to that charged Texas residents under Sections 54.051 and 54.0512. The coordinating board shall adopt rules governing the determination of financial need of students under this subsection and rules governing a pilot project to be established at general academic teaching institutions and at components of the Texas State Technical College System in counties that are not immediately adjacent to the nation in which the foreign student resides.

SECTION 6. Sections 1 through 5 of this Act apply only to tuition for a term or semester that begins on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001.

Veto of Driver's License Legislation

In 2001, Governor Perry vetoed legislation that passed through both the state House and Senate with wide support. The measure would have changed Texas law to allow the Department of Public Safety to accept whatever it deems appropriate as valid identification to receive a driver's license. Proponents claimed that a driver's license represents knowledge of motor vehicle rules and not proof of citizenship or valid immigration status. Opponents stated that it was an obvious attempt to assist illegal immigrants and avoiding the law. In vetoing the legislation, Governor Perry stated that Texas already possessed a mechanism for legal immigrants and ambassadors to drive legally in the US and no further methods were necessary. The summary from the digest and the reason given there for Governor Perry's veto are show below.

DIGEST: HB 396 would have defined proof of identity necessary to receive a driver’s license as:

• ! a driver’s license or personal identification certificate issued by the Department of Public Safety (DPS), even if it is expired;
• ! a valid driver’s license or valid identification document from another state that includes a photo of the person;
• ! a passport or identity card with a photo issued by another country, even if it is expired;
• ! a duplicate original birth certificate or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by Texas or another state or country if accompanied by required supporting documents; or
• ! any other proof that is satisfactory to DPS.

The bill would have created an exception to the current requirement in the Family Code that applicants for driver’s licenses must provide their social security numbers. Instead, applications could have been accompanied by:

• ! social security numbers;
• ! a Social Security Administration (SSA) L-676 letter stating that the applicant was ineligible to obtain a social security number;
• ! a tax identification number issued by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service;
• ! an affidavit sworn before a Texas notary public stating that the applicant had not been issued a social security number, SSA L-676 letter, or tax identification number.

GOVERNOR'S REASON FOR VETO:

“Existing Texas law and Texas Department of Public Safety rules already provide the means for foreign nationals who are in this country legally to obtain Texas driver’s licenses or, as with Mexico, to drive legally using their foreign-issued driver’s licenses.”

Southwest Border Registration Education Project

In June of 2001, Governor Perry spoke at the Southwest Border Registration Education Project. During that speech, he noted his view that illegal immigrants should be educated in Texas colleges at in-state tuition rates not available to American citizens.

Gov. Rick Perry's Remarks to The Southwest Voter Registration Education Project
* Note: Gov. Perry frequently departs from prepared remarks.
Friday, June 22, 2001 • Speech

Thank you Antonio. Mayor Garza, Latino Vote 2001 Chairman Henry Cisneros, fellow elected officials, friends in San Antonio. It is my great honor to be with you this evening. Before I begin, let me introduce someone very special to me. She spent 17 years as a nurse providing health care to those in need. Just a few weeks ago, the University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center named her a Distinguished Alumni and created a nursing school endowment in her name. She's the mother of two great children, and the first girl I ever had a date with. Please welcome my wife and a great First Lady for the State of Texas, Anita Perry.

My fellow citizens, the face of Texas is changing, and tonight, as I look out into this audience, I see many of the faces that represent that change. The Texas of tomorrow is in this room today, a Texas of boundless energy and fresh ideas, a Texas committed to safe communities and good schools, a Texas that is more and more diverse with each passing day. For Texas to prosper beyond our own time on this earth, there are things we must embrace now. We must embrace our growing diversity as a source of strength and cultural enrichment, not a source of division. We must welcome more Texans of differing backgrounds to the table of ideas, and to positions of leadership. And we must stand united behind an agenda of opportunity for every citizen regardless of their financial means, or the sound of their last name. We do have differences, but there is more that unites us as Texans than could ever divide us. Who among us does not yearn to be successful and to live the American Dream? Who among us is not worthy of a good education, and a future as bold and vivid as our capacity to dream? Who among us does not long for a Texas where our children can thrive, and accomplish things greater than ourselves? Yes, we may be Hispanic, African‑American, Native American, Asian and Anglo, but we are all Texans, and we are united in our common humanity.

This place we all call home, this place we call Texas, must be a haven of opportunity, and a place where people are empowered to pursue the course they will chart. Empowerment begins with education, and ends without education. Education is the foundation for success. With that foundation, a citizen of the most meager means is empowered to rise above their current station in life, and enjoy the fruit of a free society. I stand before you today, as your governor, first and foremost by the grace of God. But I also stand before you the son of tenant farmers, and part of the first generation of my family to attend college. My education has opened countless doors to opportunity. I work from a very simple premise, whether you live in Dallas, San Antonio or along the Rio Grande, you should have the same access to a quality education in the Texas of the 21st Century. That starts with good public schools where classrooms are conducive to learning. Education has been, and always will be, my top priority as long as I have the honor of serving you in public office.

In 1999, when I served as your lieutenant governor, I initiated a Master Reading Teacher program that recognizes reading is the building block for all later learning. A child that can master the fundamentals of reading is prepared to take on the principles of math and the theories of science. This session, we built on our successes in reading, focusing special attention on math. The Math Initiative that a bipartisan group of legislators overwhelmingly passed focuses on the critical fifth through eighth grade years when children are either prepared to take on tougher courses like algebra, geometry and eventually calculus, or they are left behind, frustrated more and more by those harder math disciplines, and in many cases tempted to drop out. The Math Initiative gives those struggling students the extra help they need.

When a child drops out, he or she not only drops out of school, they drop out on their future. Over the last two sessions, we had other landmark accomplishments in public education. In 1999, we raised salaries for every teacher, counselor, librarian and school nurse by $3,000. And just recently, we created a $1.3 billion teacher health insurance program that will keep more of our best and brightest making a difference where it matters most, in the classroom. By improving teacher benefits, providing record increases in school funding, expanding remedial education, and continuing to raise standards while reaffirming local control, we have seen measurable progress in Texas public schools, and it is our children who will reap the benefits for years to come.

Success in Texas, however, does not stop with a high school diploma, it only begins there. We must encourage our children to pursue the kind of success that comes when they get a college education. It is not good enough that only one in five Texans has a bachelors or graduate degree, and that an even smaller percentage of Hispanic Texans are participants in advanced education. In a Texas where knowledge is power, a college degree is the ticket to opportunity. In 1999, we created the TEXAS Grant Program that says to every young Texan, "we don't want your future to be limited because your finances are limited." And I am proud to say that the most important thing we did this past session is triple funding for this worthwhile program so an additional 65,000 deserving Texans will be able to achieve their dreams. We also expanded opportunities for Texans to pursue engineering and computer science degrees, the coursework that will prepare them for the jobs of the future. And we expanded opportunities for Texans to attend technical and community colleges so more of our citizens can get a skill that will lead to better opportunity.

Higher education should be open to all, not just an elite few. It must be responsive to the needs of our growing and changing population, and it must continue to push the envelope of excellence and innovation. That growing and changing population includes children of undocumented workers, young boys and girls that we serve in our public schools because it is the right thing to do. I believe it is time they get the same treatment in our colleges and universities. I signed House Bill 1403 so that young Texans who graduated from our public schools, regardless of their immigration status, will be able to pay in‑state tuition and take part in the Texas Dream. We want bright, new Texans to stay here, and contribute great things to our future. We also want to ensure Texans of all backgrounds participate in graduate and professional degree programs. A new law I signed will ensure that graduate schools give weight to socio‑economic conditions of applicants seeking entry into their schools, not just test scores. That is good public policy that will make a difference for Texans from all walks of life.

This last session was also good in terms of expanding access to quality health care. Who among us is not deserving of the best health care available? By simplifying the Medicaid enrollment process, hundreds of thousands of our children will be insured. They will be exposed to routine and preventative care, and they will be healthy and learning in the classroom. Between Medicaid simplification, and the new Children's Health Insurance Program, our poorest young Texans will receive the care they need when they need it. Residents of the border region will also benefit from a new telemedicine program that will hook them up to specialists in cities hundreds of miles away. These doctors will be able to diagnose, and recommend treatment, for illnesses that too often go untreated, conditions like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. We also created a colonia road building program to help address the infrastructure needs of some of our poorest neighbors. How can we tell our children to reach for the stars if they cannot reach the classroom after a downpour washes out their roads and keeps the school buses out?

Increases in border infrastructure, health care and education could be as much as $360 million over the next two years.We addressed the transportation concerns of Texans all over the state. If voters approve, as I hope they will, we will have a new bonding program to get more roads built sooner. None of you here needs to spend another minute stuck on that parking lot known as I‑10 to know it is time to get traffic moving. Every hour you spend stuck in traffic is an hour you could have spent with a loved one or a friend, at a child's baseball or soccer game, or at your place of worship making a difference for your community.

I mentioned earlier bringing people of different backgrounds to the table of ideas. I am mindful of one such individual tonight, a Texan from Laredo who is where he is today because the doors of higher education were open to him. The son of a field worker, Henry Cuellar set his sights on a better tomorrow. He started with an associates degree, then a bachelors degree, and later a law degree, masters degree and a Ph.D. Where would the Henry Cuellar's of this world be if it were not for educational opportunity? But rather than focusing on what fate he would have encountered, I am proud to mention the fate he earned, becoming your Secretary of State, and my very first appointee. I will always look to bring to the table of ideas people of impeccable character, people with fresh ideas and a unique perspective, people who represent Texas. Henry Cuellar, Wallace Jefferson, Max Yzaguirre, Adrian Arriaga, Hope Andrade, these are just some of the extraordinary Texans I have called on to serve this state, and who have answered that call with integrity and skill.

Which leads me to one last point. Education is an important form of empowerment, but it must be accompanied by political participation. Just as your motto states, "su voto es su voz." Political activity is a vital part of individual and group empowerment. The Southwest Voter Registration Education Project has done an extraordinary job of empowering more Hispanics through voter registration drives. I salute you for your work, and wish you well in the upcoming election cycle. To continue to register more and more Hispanics to vote is truly the greatest tribute you could make in honor of the memory of a kindred soul, Willie Velasquez. While Willie is no longer with us, his mother Janie Velasquez is, and I would like to take this opportunity to recognize her.

Greater empowerment comes when you have more voices at the table, sharing a diversity of views and opinions, not one voice that expresses one particular view. Take it from someone who was a Democrat for 39 years, I know it is not easy to consider new political alternatives. But both political parties need your voices, directing them from within, to ensure that they rapidly respond to change and pursue common sense, balanced public policy. Political parties change when they are either threatened by extinction, or when they see the tremendous benefit of casting a wider net. It is much easier for you to flex your political muscle within a particular tent, more people will listen, and consider your views carefully.

I would just ask that you look for leaders that share your philosophy regardless of party labels, leaders who believe in strong families, greater educational opportunity, better health care, and access to the jobs of the future. In so doing, you will not be taken for granted, you will be an instrumental part of change. Your right to vote is not just a cherished fruit of democracy, it is THE agent of change. So, let us all endeavor, Republicans, Democrats and Independents, to bond together to make our every today worthy of tomorrow, and the children who will inherit that tomorrow.

Thank you, and God bless you.

Border Summit Remarks

In August of 2001, Governor Perry spoke at the border summit. He noted Texas's move to allow illegal aliens to pay in state tuition rates. He also states that any view of Texas's future must include the children of illegal aliens. He uses the term "Si se puede" to note his support for illegal alien rights in the US. He also states that he support Mexico President Vicente Fox's view of an open border.

Gov. Rick Perry's Remarks to the Border Summit
* Note: Gov. Perry frequently departs from prepared remarks.
Wednesday, August 22, 2001 • Speech

Thank you Senator Lucio. President Nevarez, UT-Pan American is to be commended for its vision and leadership in hosting this unprecedented border summit in the beautiful Texas town of Edinburg. My friends from Mexico, including Governor Tomas Yarrington Ruvalcaba of Tamaulipas, and Governor Fernando Canales Clariond of Nuevo Leon, it is an honor to be in your presence. I want to extend my gratitude to our Mexican neighbors for hosting me this July as I sought to learn one of the world’s great languages, Spanish. I enjoyed your hospitality, and was grateful for your patience as I worked on my vocabulary. No longer do I refer to “la verdad” as “la verdura.” I am delighted to see friends from the U.S. side of the border as well, including our distinguished members of the Legislature, and our county and city leaders along the border.

Today we begin a new dialogue about our shared future, a future of promising potential if we work together to solve the challenges we both face. It is fitting that we convene this summit where the great, meandering river known as the Rio Grande – or the Rio Bravo – forms the long border between Texas and Mexico. In years past, that famed body of water has been seen by many as a dividing point, If you were to walk along its banks and look to the other side, based on the stereotypes of the past, you would think you were seeing things a million miles away, instead of a stone’s throw away. But I am here today to say that while we have honest differences, there is more that unites us than divides us. The Rio Grande does not separate two nations, it joins two peoples. Mexico and the United States have a shared history, and a common future. And it is along this border where we will either fail or succeed in addressing the education, health care and transportation needs of our two peoples.

Critical to our future is meeting our border infrastructure needs. We must get traffic moving along the border so that businesses along the border and thousands of miles away can deliver products on time, and continue to grow. Companies from Spokane, Washington to Concord, New Hampshire depend on Texas highways and Texas bridges to move their products south. Seventy percent of all U.S.-Mexico truck traffic goes to, or through, the Lone Star state. Fifteen of our twenty-seven border crossings with Mexico are located in Texas. Fifty-four percent of all U.S.-Mexico trade crosses just between Brownsville and Laredo. This year the Texas legislature appropriated approximately $1 billion more in transportation funding. But more can be done.

With Texas serving as the Gateway to Mexico, it is time that we receive congressional funding that reflects the instrumental role our state plays as a port of entry. With a Texan in the White House, I believe there is no greater opportunity to end the funding discrimination that crippled Texas infrastructure under the previous administration. Good infrastructure is essential to the free flow of commerce. It is a matter of economic fact that free trade lifts the tide for all the boats in the harbor. U.S. trade with Mexico has increased by 500% since 1994. Exports and imports between Texas and Mexico now exceed $100 billion dollars annually. Thousands of jobs have been created for Texas and Mexican workers, confirming the indisputable fact that trade with Mexico is big business for Texas.

The fruits of NAFTA have just begun to ripen. At the same time, we must not allow the roots of the tree to become poisoned. The NAFTA agreement not only signaled a new era of economic possibility, but a new era of bi-national cooperation. That is why it is wrong, and inherently detrimental to our relationship with Mexico for the U.S. Congress to pursue a protectionist policy that forbids Mexican trucks from U.S. roadways. It is bad public policy, and it violates the terms of the NAFTA agreement we agreed to. Mexican trucks that meet our safety standards should be given the same access to U.S. roads as our Canadian neighbors to the north.

Mexico, too, must be vigilant in realizing its treaty obligations. For more than half a century, under the 1944 Water Treaty our two nations have cooperated so that the water needs of both countries are met. But as of late, Mexico is behind in delivering the water it has promised to the U.S. A Mexican judicial injunction now threatens the livelihood of our Rio Grande Valley farmers, and has become a source of contention between our two nations. It is time to end this dispute. I would ask that the Mexican government meet its obligation under the treaty, Texas growers are depending on it.

There are other challenges that require a unified approach, especially in the area of health care. A lack of preventative medicine means conditions that could have been eliminated through childhood immunizations show up in disturbing numbers later in life. Limited availability of medical specialists means conditions like heart disease and diabetes go untreated at alarming rates. In Texas, we recently placed a strong emphasis on preventative care when we expanded access to Medicaid for more low-income children by making the Medicaid enrollment process simpler. We allocated an additional $4 billion to the Medicaid program, and more than $900 million to the Children’s Health Insurance Program. I urged legislators to pass a telemedicine pilot program that will enable, through technology, a sick border resident of limited financial means to receive care from a specialist hundreds of miles away. But the effort to combat disease and illness requires greater cooperative efforts between our two nations. It is a simple truth that disease knows no boundaries. An outbreak of drug-resistant tuberculosis, for example, endangers citizens of both our nations. We have much to gain if we work together to expand preventative care, and treat maladies unique to this region.

Legislation authored by border legislators Pat Haggerty and Eddie Lucio establishes an important study that will look at the feasibility of bi-national health insurance. This study recognizes that the Mexican and U.S. sides of the border compose one region, and we must address health care problems throughout that region. That’s why I am also excited that Texas Secretary of State Henry Cuellar is working on an initiative that could extend the benefits of telemedicine to individuals living on the Mexican side of the border.

As a compassionate state, we know that for our children to succeed, they must not only be healthy, but educated. The future leaders of our two nations are learning their fractions and their ABC’s in classrooms all along this border. Immigrants from around the world are being taught in Texas classrooms, and our history is rich with examples of new citizens who have made great contributions. We must say to every Texas child learning in a Texas classroom, “we don’t care where you come from, but where you are going, and we are going to do everything we can to help you get there.” And that vision must include the children of undocumented workers. That’s why Texas took the national lead in allowing such deserving young minds to attend a Texas college at a resident rate. Those young minds are a part of a new generation of leaders, the doors of higher education must be open to them. The message is simple: educacion es el futuro, y si se puede.

We also know that poverty is not unique to either side of the border. Some of Texas’ poorest citizens live in colonias all along the border. They often lack basic infrastructure many of us take for granted. Just today, the North American Development Bank announced it will provide $6.3 million in funding to hook up colonia residents in six border cities to water and wastewater lines. More than 18,000 residents will benefit from these water or wastewater hookups. And this November, by approving Proposition 2, Texas voters can ensure that their neighbors in colonias have quality roads so that school buses, emergency vehicles and postal trucks can reach residents, and residents can get to a job or a school reliably.

President Fox’s vision for an open border is a vision I embrace, as long as we demonstrate the will to address the obstacles to it. An open border means poverty has given way to opportunity, and Mexico’s citizens do not feel compelled to cross the border to find that opportunity. It means we have addressed pollution concerns, made substantial progress in stopping the spread of disease, and rid our crossings of illicit drug smuggling activity. Clearly we have a long way to go in addressing those issues. At the same time we must continue to deepen our economic ties, expanding opportunities for Mexican and U.S. companies to do business on both sides of the border. The outlook is promising, even if the road to prosperity is a long one. We share a bond as neighbors, and we find our culture north of the Rio Grande to be increasingly defined by the strong traits of people of Hispanic descent. Texas has long enjoyed a unique identity, an identity forged by an independent spirit, and the convergence of many different peoples. We must welcome change in the 21st Century as we have in every century before it.

Today, as we look to the south, we see a rising sun. It is perched above a people whose best days are in front of them. Let us endeavor to make the most of this new day through a new dialogue. Let us work together to combat disease, expand trade and provide educational opportunities. If we do, there are no limits to what we can accomplish for the betterment of all of our citizens. Thank you, and God bless you.

Support for President Bush's Plan

In January of 2004, Governor Perry released a press statement noting his support for a guest worker plan put forth by President Bush.

Statement of Gov. Rick Perry Regarding President Bush's Immigration Proposal
Wednesday, January 07, 2004 • Press Release

“During my visit with President Fox last November, I reaffirmed my support for a guest worker program that balances our two countries’ economic realities along with the need for homeland security. President Bush’s proposal reflects those goals.

“As a former governor of this state, President Bush understands well the huge impact that immigration has on Texas, as well as the importance of developing a plan that simplifies the legal immigration process while discouraging individuals from entering this country illegally.

“I commend the President for his leadership on an issue that has tremendous impact in our state. Texas will no doubt play a key role in discussions that will help shape a final strategy, and I look forward to working with the President in the coming months.”

A Better Way to Secure the Border

In December of 2006, Governor Perry released a press statement noting his views on securing the border. He states that he opposes amnesty for illegal aliens as it rewards illegal behavior, but that he opposes enforcement of US laws through deportation or punishment for those who violate the laws as that would harm the US economy. He proposes a guest worker program to allow those here illegally to continue that work on a legal basis but without citizenship.

A Better Way to Secure the Border
Thursday, December 14, 2006 • Editorial

A famous poet once wrote that “good fences make good neighbors.” However, this author did not have to deal with the realities of homeland security where a wall is only as strong as it is fortified by law enforcement personal. Building a wall along the entire Texas-Mexico border would not only be cost prohibitive – in the range of billions of dollars – it would create a false sense of security. And unless the federal government is willing to put enforcement personnel all along such a barrier – something it has refused to do for decades along a border without fencing – it will be no more successful at keeping illegal immigrants out of Texas than the Rio Grande River.

Strategic fencing in high-population areas makes sense. But I would like to see the federal government invest resources in increased border security operations like Operation Rio Grande rather than build a 1,200-mile wall.

With joint law enforcement operations we have managed to reduce crime in areas patrolled by border sheriffs by up to 60 percent during surge operations. With fixed wing and rotary assets in the air, more law enforcement boots on the ground, and a stronger boat patrol presence along the Rio Grande, we have virtually shut down drug and human smuggling activity during intensive operations. The success of these operations is the reason I will be asking the legislature for $100 million to secure our border.

As I have said repeatedly, you can’t have homeland security without border security, and there is no sense in reforming immigration laws if we cannot enforce them. And I have said equally as often that immigration reform without border security is meaningless.

Divisive language on the subject of border security and immigration reform is simply not constructive or useful in solving the problem. We cannot be a nation that is anti-immigrant because we are in fact a nation of immigrants. In fact, foreign-born citizens are some of the strongest supporters of tougher border security measures. Clearly, something has to be done because our hospitals, schools, and other service providers are being flooded with illegal immigrants at a great cost to taxpayers.

But to me neither amnesty nor mass deportation is the answer. The first unfairly rewards those who broke our laws, and the latter is not only unrealistic and unenforceable, but it would devastate our economy. That’s why I support a guest worker program that takes undocumented workers off the black market and legitimizes their economic contributions without providing them citizenship status.

I would rather know who is crossing our border legally to work instead of not knowing who is crossing our border illegally to work. A guest worker program that provides foreign workers with an ID removes the incentive for millions of people to illegally enter our country. It also adds those workers to our tax base, generates revenue for needed social services and it can be done without providing citizenship.
Along with millions of Americans, I think it is wrong to reward those who broke our laws with citizenship ahead of those who have followed the law and are waiting to enter this country legally. And like millions of Americans I do not support amnesty.

With a more secure border and a reasonable guest worker program we can allow guest workers to help build our economy without offering citizenship. Many don’t even want to become citizens – they just want to provide for their families back home.

We just finished an election where the Washington politicians gave us a lot of rhetoric on immigration reform, but no real solutions. We need Washington to be a part of the solution. For us it is not just a subject of intense debate, it directly impacts how we live.

As Governor, I understand that I represent all the people of Texas, and not everyone sees eye to eye on this issue. But, I do promise that I will use reason and fact, not emotion and fear, to help us resolve this issue in a spirit of unity. We need to work toward solutions, not slogans. We need immigration reform that doesn’t compromise our security, and security that doesn’t compromise our economy. And I believe we can accomplish all of this with a guest worker program and real security measures that utilize our law enforcement tools to help secure our border.

Increased Border Enforcement

In January of 2007, Governor Perry issued a press statement noting the need for increased border presence. He announces the commencement of operation wrangler.

Gov. Perry Emphasizes Need for Additional Border Security
Governor Joined by Local, State and Federal Officials at the Border

Wednesday, January 24, 2007 • Press Release

MCALLEN – Gov. Rick Perry today encouraged the Texas Legislature to support a $100 million border security package to be proposed this session. Gov. Perry made this announcement at a press conference about the recent launch of Operation Wrangler, a statewide expansion of highly successful border security surge operations.

“We have launched a statewide operation this week, Operation Wrangler, to send a message to drug traffickers, human smugglers and criminal operatives that their efforts to exploit our international border will come at a great cost,” Perry said. “In order to continuously fund surge operations like this one in the future, I am asking the legislature to join me in supporting a $100 million investment in border security.”

Operation Wrangler is a coordinated interagency law enforcement surge effort intended to prevent and disrupt all crime, including illegal international drug and human trafficking. It is the second phase of Operation Rio Grande, launched February 2006, which reduced all crime by an average of 60 percent in sheriff-patrolled areas of border counties during five surge operations last year.

“There can be no safe haven for drug traffickers and human smugglers anywhere in Texas,” Perry said. “If legislators pass my $100 million border security package, we can take back our streets, neighborhoods and private ranches from the criminal scourge that currently jeopardizes them.”

Operation Wrangler will involve federal, state and local ground, air and water-borne assets, including more than 6,800 personnel, 2,200 vehicles, 48 helicopters, 33 fixed wing aircraft and 35 patrol ships. Up to 90 sheriffs’ offices and 133 police departments are participating, as well as 604 Texas Army National Guard (TANG) troops activated by Perry. These TANG troops comprise 12 armed security platoons that will deploy to various traffic crossovers along the Rio Grande River and will be accompanied by a Border Patrol agent and a local police officer.

Local, state and federal agencies involved in Operation Wrangler include the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Department of Transportation; the National Park Service; the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; the Texas Civil Air Patrol; the Texas Cattleman’s Association; Texas Military Forces; Texas Task Force 1; the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Railroad Police; the U.S. Transportation Security Agency; the U.S. Postal Service; the U.S. Coast Guard; and the University of Texas Center for Space Research.

“The best border security policy involves more boots on the ground, more patrol cars, more helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, more patrol boats and the latest law enforcement technology. All of this costs money; but our security is worth a whole lot more.”

Gov. Perry was joined at the press conference today by local, state and federal officals.

Texas is Securing the Border

In a January 2008 editorial, Governor Perry notes that local law enforcement in Texas is working with immigration officials to help fight crime and illegal immigration in Texas.

Texas Securing Our Nation's Border
Friday, January 11, 2008 • Austin, Texas • Editorial

During election seasons Washington politicians give us a lot of rhetoric on border security, but -- as they continue to demonstrate -- no real solutions. Yet while the Washington DC politicians continue to wags their tongue about ways to secure our border, Texas has been and will continue to partner with local and federal officials to protect its citizens from terrorism, border crime and violence. For us, securing the nation’s border is not just a subject of intense debate, it directly impacts how we live. Two-thirds of the U.S.-Mexico border lies in Texas. We need Washington to be a part of the solution, but until it acts, Texas will continue to take care of Texans.

And some of the warriors that best take care of the Texas border region are our local law enforcement leaders and officers. While local officers may not stand at the border checking passports, every Texas police officer daily fights the crime, violence and illegal trafficking that seeps in though our porous border.

The U.S.-Mexico border stretching over 1,200 mile of Texas makes our state the nation’s foremost drug and human smuggling transshipment center and directly increases crime in the State. Powerful Mexican crime cartels use transnational gangs, like Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), to support their operations by torturing, kidnapping and murdering citizens on both sides of the border. However, border-related crime is not isolated to the border region. For example, every major gang in the State of Texas is connected to Mexican smuggling organizations.

A porous border also provides terrorists and their supporters a way to enter the United States undetected. Since March 2006, we have arrested 434 illegal aliens crossing the Texas-Mexico border from countries with terrorist ties like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Jordan.

And while the task of stopping criminals from entering our nation and reducing crime in the border region is massive, we are meeting that challenge today because law enforcement agencies inside Texas started working together in 2005.

It was their idea.

No one knows better how to develop and execute strong border security than local experts on the ground and in the region. In 2005, local law enforcement came to me with the idea of Operation Linebacker as a way to unite law enforcement agencies and resources along the border to increase both public safety and national security between Points of Entry. Since then, federal, state and local law enforcement have united to protect the border. And the results speak for themselves.

In our current operation, Operation Border Star, we have a full fighting team of local police officers, sheriffs, state troopers, Texas Rangers and game wardens working with U.S. Border Patrol to secure the Southern Border.

Together we have reduced all crime along the border.

Following the local tips from police officers from towns along the border, the new law enforcement team assisted the Border Patrol in inspecting vehicles for weapons, stolen vehicles and bulk cash. Between 2006 and the summer of 2007, we seized over $30 million in cash, and almost 750,000 pounds of illegal drugs. Just since launching Operation Border star in September, we already confiscated almost 140,000 pounds of illegal drugs and detained over 2,000 people, including notorious MS-13 members.

I want to thank our local law enforcement officers near the border who have increased the security of our state by teaming up with other law enforcement agencies to add more boots on the ground in border operations. Together we have quickly multiplied our force to fill security gaps in the border.

No matter what color uniform, or what rank of officer fills in the gaps along our border, we have learned that increasing law enforcement presence will always decrease crime.

 

The border security issue may mystify the federal government, but Texas has incubated the ideas of local leaders, made border security a team effort and secured our state and citizens.

Securing Our Border

In February of 2008, Governor Perry issued a press statement noting a speech on securing the border. He states that by focusing on entry points, Texas has been able to slow in inflow of illegal immigrants.

Securing Our Border
* Note: Gov. Perry frequently departs from prepared remarks.
Friday, February 08, 2008 • McAllen, Texas • Speech

Secretary Chertoff, I want to thank you for joining us here today to take another firsthand look at the realities of the border region.

The border is a favorite topic for the talking heads on TV and radio, sitting in their studios far from where we stand today. To them, the border is a line on a piece of paper that is easily recognized with foes that are easily recognized and challenges that are easily solved. They are wrong-because the complexities of this area are significant.

For example, we stand here today in a town named for a city in Scotland, in a county named for a Mexican war hero, in a state with a population that is 35% Hispanic. About twenty miles to the south of here is the border we share with our state's largest trading partner, the nation of Mexico. Every day, goods and services flow through well-regulated border checkpoints, bolstering our respective economies, creating jobs and strengthening good relationships. Every night, a different kind of traffic picks up, with the criminal element attempting to penetrate the veil of security around our country, trafficking in drugs, human lives, and the proceeds of illegal activity.

The challenges we face fall into two key areas: securing the border and immigration policy. Today, our focus is on securing the border. As you have seen today and on your previous visits to the border, Texas is taking the initiative in addressing the border security challenge. Our primary approach is to coordinate existing resources and better equip our people on the front line. We enjoy a strong relationship with the Border Patrol and work closely together, coordinating their efforts with those of our local and state law enforcement agencies. It is especially fitting for us to be here today at this Border Patrol station. These folks truly are DHS' Finest. This combined effort, most recently under the umbrella of Operation Border Star, has yielded impressive results.

By focusing our resources on key entry points and communicating freely among agencies, we have shown we can slow the bad guys to a stop when we want to. In addition to boots on the ground, boats on the water and birds in the air, there is a need for strategic fencing in high-traffic, urban areas. Along the Rio Grande, there is also the need for flood control. The river may be ankle-deep in some places, but can become a raging torrent after heavy rains. Your decision today to move forward with a solution that meets these dual needs is an example of your commitment to finding solutions that work on paper in Washington and on the ground here at the border.

We are encouraged by your receptiveness to local feedback and looking forward to more opportunities to forge mutually-effective solutions to the unique challenges in this area.

Moving Aliens through Texas

In April of 2009, Governor Perry released a statement calling for an end to the practice of transporting illegal aliens through Texas to be released in Mexico. He notes that this cause a great deal of those aliens to reenter illegally into Texas.

Gov. Perry Urges Federal Government to Stop Illegal Alien Transport Through Texas
Plan would move illegal aliens apprehended in other states through Presidio
Saturday, October 31, 2009 • Press Release

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano urging the federal government to stop its plans to transport illegal aliens from other states into Texas solely for the purpose of deportation. The Alien Transfer and Exit Program (ATEP), which is scheduled to begin tomorrow, would transport more than 34,000 illegal aliens per year through Presidio.

“Turning the Presidio area into a way station for the repatriation of illegal immigrants adds responsibility to local authorities and holds the potential of increasing the strain on local and state infrastructure and resources,” Gov. Perry said. “This plan will increase the likelihood that these individuals will immediately cross back into Texas, which is already bearing an uneven burden in dealing with immigration and border security issues along the Texas-Mexico border.”

Gov. Perry noted this program is a result of the federal government’s continued lack of an effective strategy for dealing with border security.

“Texas is proud of its working relationship with the United States Border Patrol, and we have invested significant state resources to assist them in their worthy efforts. We will continue to request that the federal government send the adequate resources necessary to effectively secure the southern border,” Gov. Perry said.

Since January, Gov. Perry has repeatedly urged the federal government, through letters to President Barack Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, to approve his request for 1,000 Title 32 National Guardsmen to support civilian law enforcement efforts to enhance border security in Texas.

A porous border places Texas and the nation at risk from international terrorists, organized crime cartels and transnational gangs. Until the federal government fulfills its responsibility of securing our border, Texas will continue filling in the gaps by putting more boots on the ground, providing increased law enforcement resources and leveraging technology along the border.

In the absence of adequate federal resources to secure the state’s southern border, Gov. Perry recently announced the state’s latest border security enhancement using highly-skilled Ranger Reconnaissance (Ranger Recon) Teams to address the ever evolving threat along the Texas-Mexico border. Additionally, under the governor’s leadership and thanks to action taken by the Legislature, the state has dedicated more than $110 million to border security efforts in each of the last two legislative sessions.

To view the governor’s letter to Secretary Napolitano pleaseclick the link below.

State Payment for Incarceration

In December of 2009, Governor Perry released a press statement noting the need for higher reimbursement for the imprisonment of criminal illegal aliens.

Gov. Perry: Washington Continues to Shortchange Texans and Americans
Blasts Congress for slashing funding to incarcerate criminal aliens in our prisons
Friday, December 11, 2009 • Press Release

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today blasted the federal government for slashing funding from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), which helps states cover the costs of incarcerating illegal aliens who have committed crimes in the U.S. The omnibus appropriations bill currently moving through Congress increases overall spending by $6.8 billion, or 11.7 percent over last year, while reducing SCAAP funding by $70 million or 17.5 percent from last year’s level. A final Senate vote is expected as early as this weekend.

“The federal government continues to compromise the safety and security of our country, and is adding insult to injury by leaving the cost of incarcerating criminal aliens who have infiltrated a border Washington has failed to secure on the backs of our state and local communities,” Gov. Perry said. “The State of Texas has already committed hundreds of millions of dollars to fill gaps along the border, and the least the federal government can do is fully reimburse states and local communities for picking up the slack on a federal responsibility.”

In May, Gov. Perry sent a letter urging President Barack Obama to reverse the administration’s proposal to zero out the program in the president’s budget for fiscal year 2010, thereby eliminating SCAAP completely.

“Not only do Texans suffer from increased crime associated with a porous international border, but taxpayers must pay for the legal defense and subsequent incarceration of criminal aliens, only a fraction of which is reimbursed by the federal government,” Gov. Perry’s letter read. “For these reasons, I hope that you will give serious consideration to expanding, rather than eliminating SCAAP.”

The federal government funded SCAAP at a total of $400 million in fiscal year 2009, of which Texas received only $18 million, while the Texas Department of Criminal Justice spent $143 million to incarcerate more than 13,000 criminal aliens in fiscal year 2008 (latest data available).

This proposed federal funding cut follows a plan announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in October to transport illegal aliens from other states into Texas solely for the purpose of deportation. The Alien Transfer and Exit Program (ATEP) will transport more than 34,000 illegal aliens per year through Presidio, essentially turning the area into a way station for the repatriation of illegal immigrants and increasing the likelihood that these individuals will immediately cross back into Texas, which is already bearing an uneven burden in dealing with immigration and border security issues along the Texas-Mexico border.

Since January, Gov. Perry has repeatedly urged the federal government, through letters to President Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, to approve his request for 1,000 Title 32 National Guardsmen to support civilian law enforcement efforts to enhance border security in Texas. The federal government has yet to officially respond to the governor’s request.

Common Sense Debate

Border Security

Opposition to Arizona Immigration Law

In April of 2010, Governor Perry was quoted by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal as stating the following when asked about the Arizona immigration law:

I fully recognize and support a state's right and obligation to protect its citizens, but I have concerns with portions of the law passed in Arizona and believe it would not be the right direction for Texas.

That same month, Governor Perry issued a statement noting his opposition to the Arizona law on numerous grounds. He states that the law would turn law enforcement officers into immigration officers and remove their ability to do their job.

Statement by Gov. Rick Perry on Immigration and Border Security
Thursday, April 29, 2010 • Austin, Texas • Press Release

Gov. Rick Perry today issued the following statement regarding border security, the recent debate over immigration policy in Washington and what has been implemented in Arizona:

"Texas has a rich history with Mexico, our largest trading partner, and we share more than 1,200 miles of border, more than any other state. As the debate on immigration reform intensifies, the focus must remain on border security and the federal government's failure to adequately protect our borders. Securing our border is a federal responsibility, but it is a Texas problem, and it must be addressed before comprehensive immigration reform is discussed.

"Recently, there has been much debate over immigration policy in Washington and what has been implemented in Arizona. I fully recognize and support a state's right and obligation to protect its citizens, but I have concerns with portions of the law passed in Arizona and believe it would not be the right direction for Texas.

"For example, some aspects of the law turn law enforcement officers into immigration officials by requiring them to determine immigration status during any lawful contact with a suspected alien, taking them away from their existing law enforcement duties, which are critical to keeping citizens safe. Our focus must continue to be on the criminal elements involved with conducting criminal acts against Texans and their property. I will continue to work with the legislative leadership to develop strategies that are appropriate for Texas.

"Securing the border has to be a top priority, which is why I have a standing request with the federal government for 1,000 Title 32 National Guardsmen who can support civilian law enforcement efforts to enhance border security in Texas. I have also requested predator drones be based in and operate over the Texas-Mexico border to provide essential information about criminal activity to law enforcement on the ground.

"Until the federal government brings the necessary resources to bear, we will continue to commit state funding and resources for additional border security efforts in order to protect our communities and legitimate cross border trade and travel, while enforcing the laws already on the books." 

Support for Amicus Brief

In July of 2010, Governor Perry issued a statement noting his support for an amicus brief filed by the Texas Attorney General in that he supports the right of the states to pass their own laws in the tenth amendment.

Statement by Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Attorney General’s Amicus Brief in U.S. v. State of Arizona Case
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 • Austin, Texas • Press Release

Gov. Rick Perry today issued the following statement regarding Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s amicus brief in the U.S. v. State of Arizona case:

“All Americans should support today’s actions by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and other state attorneys general in their efforts to uphold the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the right of states to provide for the public safety and security of their citizens.

“The federal government has failed to secure our borders as drug activity and murder rates soar in many border communities. States are left with no choice. Until the federal government secures the border, I expect more states to legislate in an effort to protect their citizens.

“Regardless of anyone’s feelings on the Arizona law, we must protect the 10th Amendment and right of states to legislate public safety to keep families and communities secure. I join Texas Attorney General Abbott in opposing the Obama Administration’s effort to undermine the right of states to protect their citizens and govern themselves.”

Sanctuary Cities

In June of 2011, Governor Perry added legislation to end sanctuary city policies in Texas to items to be considered as part of a special session of the Texas Legislature.

Gov. Perry Adds Sanctuary Cities to Special Session Call
Also adds Secure Communities and issuance of Texas driver license
Tuesday, June 07, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release

Gov. Rick Perry announced the addition of legislation relating to the abolishment of sanctuary cities, the use of the federal Secure Communities program by law enforcement agencies, and the issuance of driver's licenses and personal identification certificates to the special session call.

"Texas owes it to the brave law enforcement officials, who put their lives on the line every day to protect our families and communities, to give them the discretion they need to adequately do their jobs," Gov. Perry said. "Abolishing sanctuary cities in Texas, using the federal Secure Communities program and ensuring that only individuals who are here legally can obtain a valid Texas driver's license sends a clear message that Texas will not turn a blind eye to those breaking our laws."

By addressing sanctuary cities in this special session, lawmakers will help empower officers to apply their training, experience and judgment to enforcing the laws by keeping municipalities from tying their hands.

In June of 2011, Governor Perry released a press statement noting his disappointment in the failure of the state legislature to pass legislation that would prevent cities from establishing sanctuary cities by limiting officer power.

Statement by Gov. Rick Perry Regarding Sanctuary City Legislation
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release

Gov. Rick Perry today released the following statement regarding sanctuary city legislation:

"As the special session appears to be winding down, I am disappointed the Legislature did not address sanctuary cities. Working with legislative leaders last weekend, we worked to include sanctuary city legislation in Senate Bill 1. Unfortunately, SB1 Conference Committee Chairman Robert Duncan ultimately refused to allow language related to the ban of sanctuary cities into the final version of Senate Bill 1. Because of this action, the special session will not provide our peace officers with the discretion they need to adequately keep Texans safe from those that would do them harm."

In January of 2012, Governor Perry was asked a number of questions regarding his efforts to secure sanctuary cities by the Texas Tribune. The governor responds by stating that the legislation has not been written yet, but that he does consider numerous Texas cities to be out of agreement with US immigration laws.

Texas Tribune: On sanctuary cities, what is it that you are seeking this session? Do you want law enforcement to question immigration status of everyone they pull over?

Governor Perry: We're gonna have a lengthy and appropriate conversation about the concept of cities allowing for individuals to find haven from our laws in this state. There are cities in this state that have made decisions that they are going to be havens for those that are in conflict with federal immigration laws or state laws and we're gonna prohibit that.

We'll have a good and open discussion about what we're going to prohibit and if the shoe is fitting you, then you might not want to be wearing it.

Texas Tribune: But Governor, during the Gubernatorial elections you accused Houston of having sanctuary city policies in attacking an opponent Bill White. DPS has policies that are materially the same. Will DPS be adjusting it's policies in light of this announcement?

Governor Perry: We do in fact stand by what we said during the campaign. I think that the people of Houston realize that they had some policies in place that were inappropriate and ... Look, we're gonna have a great discussion on immigration, we're going to have a strong position on border security as you heard Speaker Pro Tem Senator Ogden speak about in his remarks yesterday.

We're going to continue to call on Washington DC to do their job, to defend the border to spend the dollars. As late as this morning in breakfast the speaker and i we're discussing how we're going to continue keep our citizens safe, our communities living within the laws that are prescribed by the federal and state governments and we're going to do that. So, trying to write the bill this morning is a little premature.

Texas Tribune: Do you consider Houston to be a sanctuary city?

Governor Perry: I consider a number of cities within this state to be out of compliance with what the  citizens of this state want to see from a standpoint of making sure that our citizens are kept safe.

Texas DPS Policies

It is the policy of the Texas Department of Public Safety to not question the immigration status of those it comes into contact with and not to seek out those who violate immigration laws. These practices are commonly referred to as sanctuary city policies when put in place by city police. This policy effectively makes Texas a sanctuary state.

As enforcement of U. S. immigration laws is not the primary responsibility of the Department of Public Safety, the following policy is adopted to guide Department members.

98.01
Members of this Department will not engage in the enforcement of Federal Immigration Statutes by conducting road checks or business and residence searches unless assisting appropriate federal officers who have properly requested such assistance.

98.02
Members may arrest aliens under the following situations: 1. When serving a valid warrant after checking to see that the warrant is current. 2. For violation of state laws the same as any U. S. citizen.

98.03
Members will not arrest without a warrant an alien solely on the suspicion that he has entered the country illegally.

Continued Support for Texas DREAM Act

In July of 2011 Governor Perry asserted that he still supported the Texas version of the DREAM Act. When asked in an interview for the New Hampshire newspaper, Governor Perry states that he cannot support punishing people for actions committed by their parents.

To punish these young Texans for their parents' actions is not what America has always been about

Request for Reimbursement

In an August 10 letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janey Napolitano, Governor Perry asked the federal government for $349 million in reimbursement funds for the cost of incarcerating illegal aliens.

During tough economic times, when communities are making difficult decisions about their own budgets, Texas counties are being asked to cover more than $94.4 million in direct costs related to housing illegal immigrants while the state has been left to cover more than $254.8 million in such costs.

CNN National Security Debate

On November 22, 2011 Governor Perry participated in a debate on CNN focusing on national security. In two separate questions, Governor Perry addressed immigration. He promised in one question that if elected, he would secure the border within 12 months. In a second question, he stated that he agreed with Congressman Gingrich on the need to grant amnesty to law-abiding immigrants who broke US immigration laws.

BLITZER: Let's go to Governor Perry. You represent the state with the longest border with Mexico right now. What do you think you should do, if you were President of the United States, as far as using the United States military?

PERRY: Well, let me kind of broaden it out. I think it's time for a 21st century Monroe Doctrine. When you think about what we put in place in the -- in the 1820s, and then we used it again in the 1960s with the Soviet Union. We're seeing countries start to come in and infiltrate. We know that Hamas and Hezbollah are working in Mexico, as well as Iran, with their ploy to come into the United States.

We know that Hugo Chavez and the Iranian government has one of the largest -- I think their largest embassy in the world is in Venezuela. So the idea that we need to have border security with the United States and Mexico is paramount to the entire western hemisphere.

So putting that secure border in place with strategic fencing, with the boots on the ground, with the aviation assets, and then working with Mexico in particular, whether it's putting sanctions against the banks, whether it's working with them on security with Mexico, all of those together can make that country substantially more secure and our borders secure.

As the President of the United States, I will promise you one thing, that within 12 months of the inaugural, that border will be shut down, and it will be secure.

...

PERRY: Here we go again, Mitt. You and I standing by each other again and you used the words about the magnets. And that's one of the things that we obviously have to do is to stop those magnets for individuals to come in here.

But the real issue is securing that border. And this conversation is not ever going to end until we get the border secure. But I do think that there is a way. That after we secure that border that you can have a process in place for individual who are law- abiding citizens who have done only one thing, as Newt says, 25 years ago or whatever that period of time was, that you can put something in place that basically continues to keep those families together.

But the idea that we're having this long and lengthy conversation here, until we have a secure border is just an intellectual exercise. You've got to secure the border first. And I know how to do that. I've been dealing with it for 10 years.

And we have to put the boots on the ground and the aviation assets in place, and secure that border once and for all, and be committed to it.

2010 Campaign Website Statements

Gov. Perry on Border Security

We cannot have homeland security without border security. Under Gov. Perry, Texas has been a leader on border security while the federal government has faltered. Under his leadership, Texas has put more boots on the ground, more technology to use, and more targeted operations to dramatically reduce all crime along the border.

Surge Operations. Starting in June 2006, state-funded operations have committed resources to strategic areas, resulting in an average of 65 percent reduction of all crime, including rape, murder, human trafficking and narcotics smuggling in our border communities. In 2009, the 81st Legislature reapproved funding for border operations, dedicating more than $110 million for the second consecutive session.

Transnational Gang Initiative. In response to a rising tide of gang violence in Texas communities, Gov. Perry secured funding for enhanced anti-gang efforts all across the state. On Feb. 26, 2009, Gov. Rick Perry sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano requesting the deployment of an additional 1,000 National Guard soldiers to the Texas-Mexico border and has yet to receive a response. Gov. Perry reiterated his request and concerns in a letter to President Barack Obama on Aug. 21, 2009.

Ranger Recon. In September, Gov. Perry launched the Ranger Recon security initiative, which utilizes Ranger Reconnaissance Teams to tap the specialized criminal intelligence and apprehension capabilities of the Texas Rangers to protect Texans who live in remote areas of the border and whose lives and property are threatened by criminals coming across the border.

Huckabee Forum

In December of 2011, Governor Perry participated in a forum that was moderated by Mike Huckabee. He was asked about border security and stated that he was committed to secure the border with 12 months of taking office.

The Western Debate

In October of 2011, Governor Perry participated in the Western Debate in Las Vegas. He speaks about his desire to end illegal immigration and the need to turn off the magnets. He also disusses his support for a virtual fence.

COOPER: Governor Perry, in the last debate, Governor Romney pointed out that Texas has one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the country, over one million kids. You did not get an opportunity to respond to that. What do you say? How do you explain that?

PERRY: Well, we've got one of the finest health care systems in the world in Texas. As a matter of fact, the Houston, Texas, Medical Center, there's more doctors and nurses that go to work there every morning than any other place in America. But the idea that you can't have access to health care, some of the finest health care in the world -- but we have a 1,200-mile border with Mexico, and the fact is we have a huge number of illegals that are coming into this country.

And they're coming into this country because the federal government has failed to secure that border. But they're coming here because there is a magnet. And the magnet is called jobs. And those people that hire illegals ought to be penalized.

And Mitt, you lose all of your standing, from my perspective, because you hired illegals in your home and you knew about it for a year. And the idea that you stand here before us and talk about that you're strong on immigration is on its face the height of hypocrisy.

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: Governor Romney?

ROMNEY: Rick, I don't think I've ever hired an illegal in my life. And so I'm afraid -- I'm looking forward to finding your facts on that, because that just doesn't --

PERRY: Well, I'll tell you what the facts are.

ROMNEY: Rick, again -- Rick, I'm speaking.

PERRY: You had the -- your newspaper -- the newspaper --

...

PERRY: You stood here in front of the American people and did not tell the truth that you had illegals working on your property. And the newspaper came to you and brought it to your attention, and you still, a year later, had those individuals working for you.

The idea that you can sit here and talk about any of us having an immigration issue is beyond me. I've got a strong policy. I've always been against amnesty. You, on the other hand, were for amnesty.

COOPER: I've got 30 seconds, then we've got move on to another immigration question.

ROMNEY: OK.

You wrote an op-ed in the newspaper saying you were open to amnesty. That's number one.

Number two, we hired a lawn company to mow our lawn, and they had illegal immigrants that were working there. And when that was pointed out to us, we let them go. And we went to them and said --

PERRY: A year later?

...

COOPER: Governor Perry, you have -- you have the -- your state has the longest border with Mexico. Is it possible -- to the question -- is it possible to build a fence, an -- across the entire border?

PERRY: Sure. You can -- you can build a fence, but it takes anywhere between 10 and 15 years and $30 billion. There's a better way, and that's to build a virtual defense zone, if you will, along that border, which -- not unlike what Herman's talking about, and you can do it with strategic fencing in the obvious places where it matters.

But the way you really stop the activities along that border that are illegal, whether it's the drug cartels or whether it's bringing in illegal weapons or whether it's illegal immigrants that are coming in, is to put boots on the ground.

I will tell you, Herman, you put a lot of boots on the ground. You use Predator drones that are being trained right up here at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada to use that real-time information to give those boots on the ground that information, and they can instantly move to those areas. And that is the way to shut that border down, to secure that border, and really make America safe from individuals, like those Iranians that are using the drug cartels to penetrate this country.

PERRY: As I said, you can build that fence, but by the time that fence gets built...

COOPER: She's also talking about your taxpayer-subsidized benefits.

PERRY: But my -- my point is that, by the time that fence gets built, there is a lot better way than to stand here and to -- to play to some group of people somewhere and say, "We're going to build a fence," and then wipe our hands of it.

I've been dealing with this border for 10 years as the governor. And the reason that we have this issue is because the federal government has failed miserably to defend and secure that border.

BACHMANN: Which is why we build...

(CROSSTALK)

PERRY: You know, for someone that's been in the United States Congress to -- to lecture me on the issues that are going on, on that border is not right. Let me tell you, we've had to deal with that issue in the state of Texas. We've had to deal with the impact on our state. And I put $400 million on that border of Texas, taxpayers' money, Texas Ranger recon teams there.

We know how to secure the border. I shared with you earlier how to do it. You put the boots on the ground, the aviation assets in the air, and you secure that border.

...

COOPER: Governor Perry, 30 seconds to respond.

PERRY: Well, the bottom line is that we have a federal government that has failed. There is a clear problem here. And he hit the nail on the head a while ago. He said there was a magnet of people that will hire illegals. And you are number one on that list, sir.

And people need to understand that. You're one of the problems, Mitt.

Official Website Statements

Securing the Border

Texas shares a 1,254 mile border with our number one trading partner, Mexico. More than 1/3 of Texas citizens can trace their lineage to our southern neighbor and relationships of family, friends and free enterprise flow across the border to the benefit of both. However, criminals also see our border as a gateway to their own illicit prosperity, requiring Texas to maintain an aggressive approach to border security.

Border Security

Summary of Achievement
Governor Perry, recognizing that one of the greatest criminal and terrorist threats to the state is a porous Texas-Mexico border, has taken action to place law enforcement resources in the border region to curb the exploitation of unsecured areas by Mexican crime cartels, transnational gangs and would-be terrorists. These efforts have resulted in a significant decrease in crime in the border region and an increased sense of security by residents of border communities.

The Challenge
Securing the border is a federal responsibility, but for too long the brave men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol have been denied the resources they need to secure the U.S.-Mexico border from all threats. Until Governor Perry took action, decades of underinvestment by the federal government in technology and sufficient personnel left the 1,254-mile border riddled with smuggling corridors exploited by Mexican crime cartels and the transnational gangs they hire as enforcers, as well as an opportunity for would-be terrorists to enter the U.S. undetected.

Action / Initiative
Border security is vital to the safety of every region in Texas and the nation, which is why in November 2005, Governor Perry began increasing law enforcement “boots on the ground” in border counties.

In February 2006, Governor Perry continued efforts to implement his strategy by launching a series of border security operations that increased the law enforcement presence along the border; centralized border-related intelligence; unified local, state and federal land, air and water patrol resources; and committed Texas Military Forces assets and leveraged new technologies along the border.

During the 80th Texas Legislative Session, Governor Perry worked with the Texas Legislature to secure $110 million for continued border security efforts and to enhance the quality of life along the border.

The governor also has incorporated technology into his border security strategy. This technology includes:

• License plate readers
• A Virtual Border Watch capability to deter criminal activity
• The latest electronic fingerprint technology at all booking stations
• Portable electronic fingerprint readers
• Radio Interoperability in the border region and key corridors
• The Texas Data Exchange to enable border wide crime mapping and statewide link analysis capabilities

The Outcome
The efficacy of Governor Perry’s strategy is undeniable and should serve as a template for the nation. The border can be secured from all threats if the will exists to commit substantial resources, coordinate efforts, centralize intelligence and information, and leverage technology.

Since operations began in Texas, serious crime along the smuggling corridors of the state has been significantly reduced.

However, the effort to secure our border is never complete. It requires constant intelligence, coordination and efforts by law enforcement to prevent and deter criminal activity. Our adversaries are ruthless, highly adaptive, well-funded and committed to penetrating our border. Success is dependent on our ability to sustain operations and quickly adapt to thwart new tactics employed by the Mexican organized crime cartels, including their use of gangs and truck drivers in drug and human smuggling operations. Texas will continue to seek new and innovative solutions to increase our law enforcement capabilities to protect all Texans and our nation.

References

[1] Website: House Research Organization Article: Vetoes of Legislation — 77th Legislature Author: NA Accessed on: 07/25/2011

[2] Website: Union Leader.com Article: Perry gives first NH interview Author: JOHN DiSTASO Accessed on: 07/26/2011

[3] Website: Texas Monthly Article: Rick Perry: for sanctuary cities before he was against them Author: Paul Burka Accessed on: 07/27/2011

[4] Website: ABC News Article: Perry Bills Feds $349M for Illegal Immigrants Author: APRIL CASTRO Accessed on: 08/27/2011

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