During his tenure in Congress, Congressman Marchant has consistently supported common sense immigration policies that strengthen border security and strictly enforce the laws of our country. Congressman Marchant continues to work to strengthen the security of our nation’s borders because he believes that border security is critical to our national security. Congressman Marchant is strongly opposed to amnesty for illegal aliens because amnesty rewards those who choose to break our nation’s laws, and only serves to encourage and incentivize the flood of illegal immigration plaguing our nation today.
Based on his strong and consistent record of supporting border security and protecting jobs for legal employees, Congressman Marchant has received the following ratings:
- 100% rating from U.S. Border Control
- 100% rating from Americans for Immigration Control
- ‘A+’ rating from Immigration Reform Coalition of Texas (IRCOT)
- ‘A+’ rating from NumbersUSA
- ‘A+’ rating from Americans for Better Immigration
- 100% rating from English First
In 2005, Congressman Marchant supported H.R. 4437—one of the toughest immigration bills ever passed by the House of Representatives. H.R. 4437 sharply increased border enforcement, requiring the construction of 700 miles of fencing along the U.S. – Mexican border; made repeat attempts to enter the country illegally punishable as an aggravated felony; provided $250 million annually for state and local police agencies for assistance in enforcing new immigration laws; established an employment verification system which requires employers to verify the legal status of each employee or face a penalty for withholding employee information.
Congressman Marchant is also working to keep our communities safe from criminal illegal aliens. Because of Congressman Marchant’s leadership on this issue, the cities of Carrollton and Farmers Branch joined Harris County to become the first jurisdictions in Texas to receive 287(g) status. The 287(g) program refers to Section 287(g) of the Federal Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies to perform limited and specific immigration law enforcement functions. This may only be done after selected officers receive extensive training from ICE. Through the efforts of Congressman Marchant, specially trained law enforcement officers with the City of Carrollton and the City of Farmers Branch are now able to access the ICE database in order to determine whether a criminal suspect is in the country illegally. Prior to the implementation of this program, police officers in Carrollton and Farmers Branch had to contact ICE to request a review of their databases and records in order to determine the immigration status of a criminal suspect.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Nuclear Family Priority Act, which would reduce the number of legal family-sponsored immigrants entering the country. The Nuclear Family Priority Act would eliminate the extended family visa categories and greatly reduce the endless chains of foreign nationals allowed to immigrate to the United States.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Security and Fairness Enhancement for America Act, which would shut down the Visa Lottery where 50,000 green cards per year are issued without regard to humanitarian needs or family connections in the United States.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Birthright Citizenship Act, which would eliminate automatic citizenship for children born in the United States.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act, which would provide for stronger border security, mandatory nationwide use of E-Verify, and stronger interior enforcement.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the New Illegal Deduction Elimination Act, which prevents employers from deducting wages for illegal workers and instead punishes them with a tax liability.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act, which helps federal authorities enforce our immigration laws including mandatory employment verification, assistance by state and local law enforcement, additional ICE agents, and secure identification measures.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the English Language Unity Act, which would declare English as the official language of the United States.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Secure the Border Act of 2010, which requires the Department of Homeland Security to construct double-layered, reinforced fencing along the entire U.S.-Mexico border; mandates the installation of additional strategic structures, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors along the border; and creates a border surveillance program that would continuously monitor the entire U.S.-Mexico border through the use of aerial surveillance technology.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Border Fence Trust Fund Act, which would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers to designate a portion of income taxes to fund the improvement of barriers at the United States border.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Deploy National Guard Troops to the Border Act, which would increase the number of National Guard troops on the U.S. Border with Mexico by at least 3,000 above the number deployed on May 1, 2010.
- Congressman Marchant voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, authorizing 700 miles of double-layered fencing between the U.S. and Mexico.
- Congressman Marchant voted for the Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006, granting state and local officials the authority to investigate, identify, apprehend, arrest, detain, or transfer undocumented immigrants to federal custody.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Common Sense English Act, which would require that an employer require employees to speak English while engaged in work.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Border Sovereignty and Protection Act, which would secure smuggling routes on the U.S. – Mexico border to better prevent the smuggling of narcotics and weapons across the border.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act of 2009, which would amend the Social Security Act to exclude from creditable wages and self-employment income wages earned by aliens illegally in the United States.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act, which would provide enhanced federal, state, and local assistance in the enforcement of immigration laws.
Congressman Marchant is an active member of the Immigration Reform Caucus (IRC). The IRC was established to review current immigration policy, to initiate new immigration policy, and to create a much-needed forum in Congress to address the consequences of immigration.
Congressman Marchant is also a member of the Reclaim American Jobs Caucus. The aim of this caucus is to raise public awareness of the connection between illegal immigration and unemployment, pressure the Obama administration to vigorously enforce the laws against the employment of illegal aliens, and work to implement legislation that will protect U.S. jobs from the impact of illegal immigration.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored H.Res. 1384 (Resolution Reaffirming State and Local Governments’ Right to Carry Out Immigration Laws). This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that state and local governments and law enforcement personnel have the inherent authority to investigate, identify, apprehend, arrest, detain, or transfer to Federal custody aliens in the U.S. for the purpose of assisting the enforcement of Federal immigration laws. This resolution also states that legislation to enhance border security and enforcement of immigration laws should be passed to ease state and local government burdens.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored H.Res. 1026, which would mandate nationwide use of the E-Verify system, secure our nation’s porous borders, and prevent amnesty from being part of any immigration reform bill.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored the Fairness for American Students Act, which would close a loophole in current federal law that allows states to provide in-state tuition benefits to illegal immigrants. Congressman Marchant believes that U.S. citizens should not be forced to subsidize college tuition for illegal immigrants.
- Congressman Marchant authored the Mortgage E-Verify Act, which requires that a mortgagors’ legal immigration status be confirmed by E-Verify as a condition for modification of home mortgage loans issued by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, or insured by the Federal Housing Administration. This bill aims to curb mortgage fraud, particularly by illegal immigrants.
- Congressman Marchant authored the E-Verify Loan Origination Act, which requires that a mortgagors’ legal immigration status be confirmed under the E-Verify program as a condition of purchase of a home mortgage loan by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, and insurance of a home loan under the National Housing Act.
- Congressman Marchant cosponsored H.Con.Res.273, which expresses the sense of Congress that the escalating level of violence on the U.S.-Mexico border is a serious threat to the national security of the United States; that the Obama administration, as well as state and local authorities, should take appropriate steps to deal with this growing threat; and that the Obama administration should deploy the National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border as has been requested by numerous border state governors and members of Congress.
