Response from Mr Peterson

Dear Mr. Harwood:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns about
immigration. I appreciate hearing from you and having the benefit of
your views.

Despite clear benefits of immigration to our nation and its
history, illegal immigration damages the social fabric of our society
by placing an undue burden on social programs such as welfare and
Medicare, as well as the court system. Illegal immigrants should not
be eligible to receive benefits from programs intended for citizens and
immigrants legally living and working within our borders. While this
has been a long-standing problem, the terrorist attacks of September
11, 2001 highlighted the need to take further steps to secure our
nation's boarders and end the flow of illegal immigrants into
America.

I believe the best way to solve our immigration problem is
through enforcement. This is the specific reason why I voted for H.R.
4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration
and Control Act of 2005. H.R. 4437 will increase penalties and set
mandatory minimum sentences for aliens who refuse to comply with
removal, while also increasing penalties for social security fraud, and
will ultimately strengthen law enforcement's abilities to successfully
protect our country's borders from illegal entry.

This legislation is a step in the right direction to creating
common sense solutions to very real problems. Please be assured that
I will keep your thoughts in mind as this issue and others pertaining to
illegal immigration develop during the remainder of the 109th
Congress.



Sincerely,

JOHN E. PETERSON
Member of Congress