WASHINGTON, DC – In voting against the motion to proceed to debate on the Immigration Reform Bill, S. 1348, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today released the following statement:

"In dealing with immigration reform, the Senate has repeated the mistake of the last session – a closed-door deal without committee hearings, informing Senators and staff of last minute details just before a vote, and a threat by the Senate Majority Leader that the closed-door deal by a handful of Senators was the only option or the Senate would reconsider last session’s failed bill.

"I oppose this bill. I oppose it because it includes amnesty and rewards immigrants for illegal conduct. I oppose it because there is no reliable cost estimate. I oppose it because the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration lacks resources and management to make the so-called reforms work and would be overwhelmed with a monumental workload increase.

"I oppose it because I believe it to be unworkable, impractical and most of all because, once again, this was a back room deal and in shutting out many Senators of one of the most important issues of our time has been subjugated to politics and unworkable compromise."