Address:
Post Office Box 80276
San Marino, CA
91108-8276
Ziglar Defends Nation’s Immigration Policies
It is a subject on the front burner of both state and national political importance, so it came as no surprise that a large crowd turned out Tuesday evening to hear James Ziglar, former Commissioner of the Immigration and Nationalization Service, deliver the keynote address to the San Marino City Club.
But first, Ziglar could not resist a jab at City Clubber Bert Becker, a four-time golf champion.
"Bert is the only guy I know who can win four golf tournaments and still claim to be a 23 handicap," Ziglar quipped.
He might have wished he had stayed with the comedic material a little longer, as many club members apparently weren’t buying the Bush administration’s current and proposed immigration policies —programs Ziglar personally contributed on along with the President. Ever the apologist, Ziglar detailed the superhuman task of defending America’s borders, and claimed that he once undertook a study to ascertain the actual cost the nation would incur to "do all the things Congress has directed us to do."
"We did a needs assessment and determined that the $6.2 million budget in 2002 would have to grow to $46 billion by 2010 if we were to do the whole job and do it right," Ziglar claimed.
Ziglar claimed that the terrorist attacks of September 11 placed an unprecedented priority on INS activities while hampering America’s ability to do business.
"After September 11 we imposed a trade embargo on ourselves, as Steve Flynn wrote," Ziglar said. "Wait times on bridges between the United States and Canada grew from ten minutes to ten hours. The result was a series of plant closings that dealt a death blow to our economy."
Ziglar supported the controversial North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which, he claimed, "has increased trade with our neighbors."
"We are economically integrated [with Canada and Mexico]."
He also claimed that Americans "can’t see borders as lines in the sand, but functions of trade and security. Security works better if we consider Canada and Mexico as part of North America."
Ziglar told the crowd the United States should:
 | Control borders rationally and not make America a fortress; |
| Expand the borders farther away; |
| Increase foreign intelligence without discouraging visitors; |
| Be vigilant in the protection of civil liberties; and |
| Remain true to our original notion that we are a nation of immigrants. |
Ziglar stated that "the moment we are no longer a magnet for people around the world, we are no longer America."
Ziglar encountered some resistance during the question and answer portion of his presentation when he tried the countries proliferation of illegal immigrants, claiming that though 300,000 illegals entered the country, the INS caught 1 million.