Vote yes on H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, when it reaches the floor at the vote House leadership has promised before July 4. Since the Supreme Court’s June 30 ruling, every illegal entry, visa overstay, and birth tourism visit carries a citizenship multiplier — a child who is a citizen at birth and can one day anchor an entire family here. That reward is now far harder to change, which makes shutting off the flows that trigger it a top priority.

As Justice Alito observed in dissent, the ruling produces a system in which “foreigners who wish to immigrate lawfully must sometimes wait for many years,” while “a child born here to a birth tourist is automatically a citizen.” A century ago that loophole was limited by distance; today roughly 70 million people visit each year, many arriving in a matter of hours. H.R. 2 would meet that reality — ending catch-and-release, closing the asylum and parole loopholes that draw illegal crossings, and mandating E-Verify to shut off the jobs magnet. Writing these reforms into law would protect them from a future administration that could otherwise undo today’s progress with the stroke of a pen. Please pass it.

Greg Raven, Apple Valley, CA

Sent to:
Jay Obernolte