Franken touts immigration bill
DFL Senator Al Franken says he wants Congress to pass an immigration bill.
Franken held a news conference today to tout the immigration bill passed by the U.S. Senate.
Franken said the bill would provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who are in the nation illegally, would allow a greater number of skilled immigrant workers into the country and would increase border security. Franken says the bill would also increase fines for employers who hire immigrants in the country illegally.
"If all you did was build a ten-foot fence and that's all you did along the whole border, all you'd be doing is creating an industry for eleven-foot ladders in Mexico," Franken said. "The thing that keeps people from coming over is the ability to enforce that people don't hire people who aren't documented."
House Republican leaders say they want tougher border security measures, and are uneasy about granting a full pathway to citizenship for immigrants who are in the country illegally.
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