Fake IDs: No Longer Just for Underage Coeds

Earlier this month, the Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna Organized Crime and Intelligence Unit in Georgia arrested six illegal immigrants who were manufacturing fake identification cards.  These arrests underline the growing tie between illegal immigration and document forgery, a tie that is threatening the security of our nation.

Last August, I visited a Point of Entry facility in Nogales, Arizona where I examined hundreds of illegal documents seized from immigrants attempting to enter our country.  These fake IDs are part of an illegal underground culture, one that has brought Mexican gangs and organized crime to our community.

This is one of the numerous reasons border security is critical to the safety of our nation.  We can not allow dangerous criminals to operate inside our borders with greater ease simply because they can obtain false identification.  And I haven’t even touched on the other problems posed by fake IDs, such as allowing individuals to illegally apply for benefits and programs, taking away much-needed resources from law-abiding citizens.

If we fail to secure our homeland, I fear we will see the problems of gang violence, methamphetamine abuse, drug trafficking and crime continue to rise, risking the security of our families and communities.