By Cong. Lamar Smith
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Ruben Navarrette was right about one thing in his latest column Lamar Smith King of Denial". He wrote there is a tidal wave approaching." Yes but its the American people who are riding the crest of the tsunami.
Navarrette resorts to name-calling and misrepresentations as he attacks me and others for a pro-enforcement approach to illegal immigration. His comments insult all those who support immigration enforcement the rule of law and putting the interests of American citizens first.
The November midterm election results repudiated the Democrats liberal open borders philosophy. Republican Latino candidates in Florida New Mexico and Nevada won statewide races while calling for enhanced border security and enforcement of immigration laws instead of amnesty.
In the House more than 200 members elected in November promised to support additional immigration enforcement and to oppose amnesty.
The Senate also saw seats held by pro-amnesty incumbents change to pro-enforcement advocates in Utah Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
So why the vitriol from Navarrette and other amnesty promoters?
They are striking out in all directions because their worldview is threatened by the majority of Americans who know that a country cannot survive without laws being enforced. Their philosophy is threatened by those who support American 
workers over illegal workers.
As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee which has jurisdiction over immigration policy I oppose this worldview of rewarding lawbreakers and putting the interests of illegal immigrants ahead of the interests of American citizens and legal workers.
Over 26 million Americans are unemployed or underemployed. Yet an estimated 7 million illegal immigrants remain in the U.S. work force. We could make jobs available for citizens and legal immigrants if we simply enforced our current immigration laws.
Thats why I support the expansion of E-Verify the federal governments program that enables companies to hire legal workers by verifying the Social Security numbers that are provided by new employees.
Republicans are smart enough not to swallow the suggested strategy of Democrats who say that supporting amnesty will help the GOP attract votes. Actually it is Democrats and their pundits who know that amnesty will provide them with votes.
As one Democrat candidate told the National Journal
Somehow ... we have to convince them Republicans that voting for comprehensive reform does not amount to enfranchising their defeat... Our problem ... is that we are hoping that the legislation 
will build the Democratic electorate."
