Hillary Clinton On Immigration
Hillary Clinton strongly criticized a bill passed by the House of Representatives in December 2005 and sent to the Senate (H.R. 4437), which would impose harsher penalties for undocumented workers. Clinton called the measure "a rebuke to what America stands for." She believed the solution to the illegal immigration problem was to make "a path to earned citizenship for those who are here, working hard, paying taxes, respecting the law, and willing to meet a high bar for becoming a citizen.”
Clinton voted for the Secure Fence Act In September 2006, allowing the construction of 700 miles of fencing along the US-Mexican border.
In May and June 2007, Clinton cast preliminary votes in support of the comprehensive immigration reform bill known as the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007. Senator Clinton continued to vote in favor of cloture motions to consider it, when the bill was again brought forward. Clinton voted in favor of a small subset of the previous bill, the DREAM Act, in October 2007.
Although Clinton committed to support New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's plan to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants she reversed her position stating that as president she will not support driver's licenses for undocumented people and will press for comprehensive immigration reform that deals with all of the issues around illegal immigration.
