The Occasional Observer

We do not need the Senate immigration bill to secure the border.

Congress has already passed laws authorizing border security, but the Homeland Security Department has failed to fully implement them. The administration already has the authority to build hundreds of miles of border fencing, hire and train 6,000 border patrol agents (bringing the total number of agents to 18,000), end catch and release, and create a national employment verification database. Essentially, all of the security benchmarks in the current Senate bill are already law.

Unfortunately, proponents of this bill would have us believe that none of these security measures can be implemented unless we pass a bill that grants amnesty to 12 million to 20 million illegal immigrants. In short, security is being held hostage in return for amnesty.

DeMint was ranked by National Journal as the most conservative United States Senator in their March, 2007 conservative/liberal rankings.

DeMint favors banning all forms of abortion.

DeMint opposes all forms of amnesty and would require all illegal immigrants currently in the United States to return to their home countries to apply for legal reinstatement. He has implied that he would consider leaving the Republican Party if it adopts an amnesty program.

DeMint was strongly supported by the fiscally conservative political group Club for Growth. He has been strongly praised by the group for anti-pork activities in the 109th Congress.

DeMint married his high school sweetheart, Debbie Henderson, on September 1, 1973; the couple have four children.

DeMint [is] a Presbyterian.