Unfortunately, NCLR has been called an “open-borders advocate” and the “illegal alien lobby” numerous times. NCLR has repeatedly recognized the right of the United States, as a sovereign nation, to control its borders. Moreover, NCLR has supported numerous specific measures to strengthen border enforcement, provided that such enforcement is conducted fairly, humanely, and in a nondiscriminatory fashion. For example:

• NCLR helped draft and advocated for bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, which included tough enforcement measures against unauthorized migration.
• NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía served on and endorsed the recommendations of the Independent Task Force on Immigration and America’s Future, an independent, bipartisan, blue ribbon commission chaired by former Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-IN) and former Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI), which recently released a set of recommendations on immigration reform, including more than a dozen new enforcement measures.
• In a major address in San Diego in 2005, Ms. Murguía stressed that any comprehensive immigration reform needed to include a strong, effective, and humane enforcement component.
• All of NCLR’s policy materials describing its positions and activities on the immigration debate are all available on its website. In particular the website includes an Issue Brief, Immigration Reform: Comprehensive Solutions to Complex Problems, and a set of FAQs related to NCLR’s position on immigration.