Bilbray raises immigration in final remarks

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/...final-remarks/

Outgoing Rep. Brian Bilbray strode to the podium in the House of Representatives late Tuesday night to deliver some final remarks to his colleagues. But rather than talk about the fiscal cliff measure that was the focus of the day, he chose to speak about immigration.

“The one place that Democrats and Republicans should be able to agree on, especially with the budget crisis, is when are we going to stop the practice of people who are committing a crime by employing illegal immigrants?” he asked.

The Republican congressman, who lost to San Diego Democrat Scott Peters in the Nov. 6 election, made immigration his top issue when he was elected in 2006 to replace disgraced former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham.

He had previously served three terms before losing to Democrat Susan Davis in the 2000 election.

In 2007, Bilbray became chairman of the Immigration Reform Congress set up in 1999 to review immigration policy and initiate new legislation.

As its chairman, he pushed for requiring employers use a now voluntary system known as E-Verify to make sure their workers are legally entitled to be employed in the U.S.

He encouraged the new Congress that begins work this week to use tax policy as the hammer to put the system in place.

“Take the tax deduction away and require that if a business wants to claim a business deduction for employing somebody that we make sure those employees are legal, just by requiring E-Verify,” he said.

More than 350,000 employers use the system, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Bilbray also had a brief personal message.

“I am going to miss a lot of faces around here in Washington, but as a San Diegan, let me assure you that I will not miss the weather. God bless and thank you.”

Bilbray has said he will return to San Diego and spend time with his family before deciding what to do next.

I fucking hate this guy. I am glad he lost.