Senator Richard Shelby is the senior United States Senator from the State of Alabama. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 and is currently in his sixth term. Senator Shelby is the current vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, of which he previously served as chairman. He is a senior member on the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, as well as the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, of which he is the longest-serving member in the history of the committee. He also serves on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
I have long believed our nation needs strong laws and proper enforcement in order to control illegal immigrantion into the United States. For decades, the federal government has struggled in its basic law enforcement obligations at our borders and in the nation's interior. The negative consequences of this inaction can be seen on a state and federal level throughout the country, including breakdowns in national security, significant financial costs, and a decline in respect for the Rule of Law.
I am open to the consideration of smart, sensible immigration reform that allows the United States to continue to attract the brightest minds and the hardest workers the world has to offer. However, we must implement policies that encourage immigrants to come to the United States and obtain citizenship through the proper, legal channels.