WASHINGTON – Today at the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) pushed Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan on the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

KLOBUCHAR: Do you think that comprehensive immigration reform that we passed in 2013 in the Senate that was supported by President Obama that got blocked by the Republican leadership in the House, do you think that would have helped to prevent this from happening with all the funding that was there for the border and also having a much more orderly process for legal immigration?

MCALEENAN: I think there are a number of very beneficial things about that bill including the border security investments which I helped advise Chairman Graham and several Committee members on when I was Deputy Commissioner of CBP. I also believe that lawful access to immigration is important as well. But I don’t believe that this issue was addressed.

KLOBUCHAR: But you know that there is money for judges and asylum processing, and there was money for creating a more orderly process at the border that we now don't have.

For video of Klobuchar’s remarks at the hearing click here.

Later in the hearing, McAleenan told Chairman Graham that the border would be a lot more secure if the Senate’s 2013 immigration bill had become law.

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