The Senate’s comprehensive immigration bill is set to hit the floor next week with an anticipated lengthy debate and amendment process. One Texas senator is calling for a complete border security before many of the provisions in the bill can take effect.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, calls it the Results Amendment. It’s a long list of provisions that must be met before green cards and citizenship can be offered to undocumented immigrants. He said the key is 100 percent situational awareness of the southern border
"That would be defined as at least a 90 percent apprehension rate for people attempting to come across the border illegally," Cornyn said.
Cornyn is also calling for a biometric entry and exit system, a nationwide e-verify system, and an additional 10,000 Border Patrol and Customs officers over a five-year period. The amendment would bar undocumented immigrants from obtaining citizenship if they have certain convictions.
Democrats have dismissed the amendment as a 'poison pill' for the legislation, but Cornyn contends it’s an antidote by making what he calls positive improvements in public safety and border security.
Earlier this year, Cornyn introduced similar provisions in a separate bill that has yet to pass.
