Statement of Senator Russ Feingold On The Immigration Reform Bill Passed Out of the Senate Judiciary Committee March 28, 2006 At the beginning of this debate, I said I would support meaningful, pragmatic, comprehensive immigration reform. I voted for the bill that the Senate Judiciary Committee approved today because it meets that test. It is not a perfect bill, but it recognizes that we will all be better off if Congress creates a realistic immigration system that allows foreign workers to come into the country legally to work when there is truly a need for their labor, and that ensures our government knows who is already here. We can and must improve our efforts to protect our borders, but we cannot focus exclusively on enforcement. My continued support for this legislation will depend on whether the improvements adopted today in the Judiciary Committee remain after the full Senate considers the bill.

# # #