Immigration Reform

The federal government has been negligent in its responsibility to secure our borders. As a founding member of State Legislators for Legal Immigration, I am committed to passing legislation that removes the economic incentives that fuel illegal immigration.

Legal immigrants began their story in the United States with respect for our laws. Illegal aliens have begun their history with us in an unlawful way. Some have chosen to further violate our laws by stealing identities and trafficking in illegal substances. Some have joined gangs that victimize citizens. Others take advantage of the generosity of our society by using our social service safety net as a means of support. Even more alarming, terrorists are now using the same routes as many illegal aliens to enter this country. We must protect our citizens and taxpayers from being abused by those who do not respect our laws. That’s why I support legislation to:

  • Require the Virginia government and private contractors who do business with the government to verify the legal presence of all employees;
  • Reserve in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for those who are citizens and legal residents of Virginia;
  • Require proof of identity when voting and provide a means to remove non-citizens from the voter rolls;
  • Allow for civil litigation when an employer knowingly hires illegal aliens and, in so doing, unfairly harms a law-abiding competitor;
  • Most localities have rules about how many unrelated persons can live in the same house. In 2007, I passed legislation to allow counties and cities to investigate and penalize illegal boarding houses - 1 of only 2 bills passed in 2007 to address the symptoms of illegal immigration.