South Bend, IN—Today, Congressman Joe Donnelly discussed his weekend visit to the U.S.-Mexico border and his support of the SAVE (Secure America with Verification and Enforcement) Act, which would crack down on illegal immigration.

“I took this trip to the border to get a firsthand look at the challenges Customs and Border Protection agents face in securing our borders,” Donnelly said. “It further proved to me that our system of immigration is broken and we must start by strengthening our borders and enforcing our laws.”

Donnelly spent all day Saturday visiting various points along the U.S.-Mexico border. His first stop was at the San Ysidro Port of Entry where field officers receive 60 million visitors per year and 45,000 pedestrians per day, including cases of illegal crossings and human and narcotics smugglings. He then visited a customs center for truck traffic, in which thousands of trucks cross through per day.

The rest of his day was spent with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at Imperial Beach. In the past year, 152,000 illegal immigrants have been detained at this point. In fact, six illegal immigrants were detained at this border crossing during Donnelly’s visit.

After his visit to the border, Donnelly reaffirmed his support of the SAVE Act, of which he is a co-sponsor. Introduced by Congressman Heath Shuler (D-NC), the SAVE Act offers a three-part plan to drastically reduce illegal immigration by securing our borders, requiring employer verification of perspective employees’ legal status, and bolstering resources needed for enforcement of our immigration laws.

“As I saw firsthand this past weekend, secure borders are fundamental to our national security and a critical component of a sound immigration policy. The SAVE Act would ensure that we are adequately staffing our borders, and that Border Patrol Agents are fully equipped with the proper training and technology to do their jobs effectively,” Donnelly said.

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