Immigration


We are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws. This fundamental principle requires the United States to uphold the rule of law, all while promoting legal immigration policies.

In Congress, Roskam has been a vocal advocate for securing our porous borders and enforcing existing federal immigration laws.  He has fought to remove the magnets of easy employment and free taxpayer-funded benefits that cause millions of illegal immigrants to stream across our borders.

In the summer of 2008, Congressman Roskam toured the Southern Border to see first-hand what challenges remain to secure our borders and our homeland.

E-Verify

The State of Illinois, under the leadership of the Blagojevich Administration and Jill Morgenthaler, has turned our state into a virtual sanctuary state for illegal immigrates by, in part, banning the use of E-Verify.

  • E-Verify is a free, quick, and accurate way to verify employee eligibility

  • 99.5% accurate according to the Dept. of Homeland Security

Following Blagojevich’s ban, the US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of Illinois for interfering with state employers attempting to voluntarily enroll in any employment eligibility verification system, including E-Verify.

In addition to securing our nation's borders, we must remove the magnets that attract thousands of people to illegally enter our country every day.

Save Act

Congressman Roskam helped introduce H.R. 4088, the Secure American with Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act

  • 8,000 new border patrol agents

  • Mandatory employee verification

  • Holds employers accountable for who they hire

  • Utilize new technology and infrastructure to secure the border

To date, 190 Republicans and Democrats have signed a discharge petition supporting the immediate passage of the SAVE Act.  Unfortunately, House Leaders continue to refuse to bring this important measure to the House Floor for a vote.

Cost to Illinois families

According to a recent study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, the State of Illinois’ provision of education, healthcare and employment benefits to illegal immigrants comes at a  cost to taxpayers of $3 to 3.5 billion every year.

Next: Funding First Responders