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Immigration

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Tim Walberg Border Crisis

The United States is a nation of immigrants and was founded on ideals that honor this tradition. However, we must secure our borders, enforce our laws, and cut unnecessary red tape for legal immigration.

Securing Our Borders

Illegal border crossings surged under the Biden-Harris administration due to their failed open border policies. Since taking office, President Trump has taken decisive action to address the crisis at our borders, and as a result, illegal border crossings have plummeted. We must continue to work to secure our borders and ports of entry as failing to do so  poses a security risk to our citizens and ignores the rule of law. 

In July 2025, I voted in favor of theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act which was signed into law by President Trump on our nation’s 249th birthday. This historic legislation secures our borders by making the largest border security investment in history. It funds the construction of the border wall to prevent deadly fentanyl from flowing into our communities and prevent illegal border crossings. The One Big, Beautiful Bill will help immigration authorities to carry out their mission by hiring 10,000 new ICE personnel, 5,000 new customs officers, and 3,000 new Border Patrol agents. In addition, the bill will empower those on the frontline by providing $10,000 bonuses in each of the next four years to these agents. 

As a member of the Congressional Northern Border Security Caucus, I also understand the importance of tackling the illicit drug trafficking and illegals crossings at our Northern border.

Michigan has a long and rich tradition as a welcoming state, and we can provide humanitarian assistance while at the same time prioritizing the safety of our citizens. We need absolute certainty that rigorous vetting procedures are in place and enhanced safety measures are taken to protect the people of Michigan and all Americans.

Enforcing the Law

With over 16 million estimated illegal aliens currently living in the United States, it is unquestionable that we need to do more to uphold our laws. Our current system encourages people to break the law and punishes those who abide by it, ultimately harming both prospective legal immigrants and hardworking Americans. We must empower state and local law enforcement, and equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce federal immigration law, and demand that the Department of Justice uphold the laws in place.  

In January 2025, I voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act, the first piece of legislation signed into law by President Trump during his second term. This legislation was named after a nursing student in Georgia who was killed by an illegal immigrant who was previously arrested for theft but was released and ICE did not issue a detainer. The Laken Riley Act protects American communities from criminal illegal aliens by requiring ICE to issue detainers and take custody of aliens who commit theft offenses. It also ensures that states can hold future administrations accountable for far-Left immigration enforcement and open-border policies.

Cutting the Red-Tape for Legal Immigration

Immigrants who want to join our citizenry should be encouraged and assisted in doing so the same way millions of immigrants have legally done so for generations. We need to create a work permit program that eliminates bureaucratic red-tape and meets the evolving needs of economy, especially our agricultural, educational, and technological sectors. Right now, almost half of the undocumented population are visa overstays, which highlights the difficulty in renewing work visas.  Instead of punishing lawful immigrants with a burdensome system, we should instead work towards fostering an environment where employers’ needs are being met by job-seeking, productive individuals who want to work.

Please know I will continue to support measures that honor our nation's founding tradition of legal immigration, secures our borders, and addresses the bureaucratic red-tape which prevents legal immigrants from entering our country and helping to meet our workforce needs.