Napolitano presses for immigration reform and border security
By Carol Cratty, CNN


June 23, 2010 9:18 p.m. EDT


Washington (CNN) -- Congress should proceed on immigration reform while the administration strengthens security at the southwestern border, a top U.S. official said Wednesday.


"The border is as secure now as it's ever been," said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. "You're never going to totally seal the border."


"The notion that you're going to somehow seal the border and only at that point will you discuss immigration reform -- that is not the answer to the problem," the secretary said during a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.


Last week, Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl told a Tea Party town hall that President Barack Obama had told him during a private meeting that Congress would have no reason to support immigration reform "if we secure the border." The White House denied Kyl's version of the meeting.


Napolitano said the federal government should set immigration and border security policies.


"We need a single, functional immigration and border policy," said Napolitano, in a clear reference to Arizona's new immigration law that requires law enforcement to check the papers of anyone they're investigating if they suspect that person may be an illegal immigrant. "We cannot have 50 different state policies. It simply will not work for us...link to complete article