2005-2006: Voted against a bill to eliminate visa lottery.
Rep. Costa voted against final passage of H.R. 4437 which included a provision to eliminate the visa lottery that each year awards 55,000 visas on a random basis. H.R. 4437 was passed by the House by a vote of 239 to 182.

2005-2006: Voted for an amendment to eliminate visa lottery.
Rep. Costa voted on the floor of the House in favor of the Goodlatte amendment to H.R. 4437. The Goodlatte Amendment would eliminate the visa lottery program that each year awards 55,000 visas on a random basis. The Amendment passed by a vote of 273 to 148.

2006: Cosponsored a bill to increase the number of low-skill workers present in the U.S. at any one time (Bass).
Rep. Costa was a cosponsor of H.R. 4740 to extend for three years an exemption for any H-2B alien (for temporary, or seasonal low-skill workers) who has been counted against the 66,000-visa cap during any of the three previous three fiscal years. H.R. 4740 has the potential to triple the number of H-2B workers in the United States at any given time. Rep. Charles Bass (R-N.H.) was the main sponsor of this bill.

2005-2006: Voted against CAFTA, foreign worker importation program (Delay)
Rep. Costa voted against H.R. 3045, the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CAFTA), on July 28, 2005 (12:03 AM). It is expected that CAFTA would create the expectation of immigration and lead to an increase in illegal immigration. H.R. 3045 was sponsored by Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas).

2005-2006: Voted against an amendment to prohibit foreign-worker importation provisions in Free Trade Agreements.
Rep. Costa voted against the Tancredo Amendment to H.R. 2862 to prevent the U.S. Trade Representative from including immigration provisions in Free Trade Agreements. The Tancredo Amendment failed by a vote of 106 to 322.

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2005-2006: Voted for amendment (Nadler) to strip asylum reforms (H.R. 418)
Rep. Costa voted in favor of the Nadler Amendment to H.R. 418 to strip asylum reforms that would prevent terrorists from gaming our asylum system. The Nadler Amendment would have stripped provisions to ensure that our asylum system is consistent with our justice system in which the trier of fact is always allowed to use the credibility of the defendant and witnesses in deciding the case. The Nadler Amendment, sponsored by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), failed by a vote of 185-236 on February 10, 2005 (1:55 PM).

2006: Voted against an amendment that denies temporary amnesty for certain Central Americans.
Rep. Costa voted against the Tancredo Amendment to H.R. 5441, the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill of 2007. The Tancredo Amendment would prohibit funds appropriated by H.R. 5441 from being used to administer extensions of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) amnesty for Guatemalans, Hondurans, or Nicaraguans. The Tancredo Amendment failed by a vote of 134-284.

2005-2006: Cosponsored AgJobs to grant amnesty to illegal aliens working in agriculture (Cannon).
Rep. Costa was a cosponsor of H.R. 884 to encourage more illegal immigration by rewarding certain illegal aliens who work in agriculture with amnesty. This bills primary sponsor was Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah).

2005-2006: Voted for an amendment to aid states in conforming with minimum federally-mandated license standards.
Rep. Costa voted in favor of the Obey amendment to H.R. 2360 to provide $100 million to fund grants under the REAL ID Act to assist States in conforming with minimum drivers? license standards. The Obey amendment passed by a vote of 226-198.

2005-2006: Cosponsored AgJobs to protect illegal aliens from prosecution (Cannon).
Rep. Costa was a cosponsor of H.R. 884 to reward illegal immigration by protecting illegal aliens granted temporary resident status from prosecution for Social Security fraud. This bills primary sponsor was Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah).

2005: Voted against the Rule that incorporated the Managers Amendment to H.R. 418 to reduce rewards for illegal immigration Rep. Costa voted against the Rule that incorporated the Managers Amendment to H.R. 418 to strike both the section of the bill that explicitly recognizes states ability to issue driving certificates that do not comply with the standards

2005-2006: Voted in favor of bill to make illegal aliens ineligible for drivers, licenses (Sensenbrenner)
Rep. Costa voted in favor of H.R. 418 to set federal standards for the issuance of drivers, licenses and a legal presence requirement that would make illegal aliens ineligible for drivers, licenses. As well H.R. 418 would tie the drivers license expiration date of a temporary visa holder to the expiration date of their visa so that those who enter the country legally as visa holders but become illegal aliens by overstaying their visas will not have a valid drivers license after the date of the expiration of their visa. H.R. 418, sponsored by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), passed by a vote of 261-161 on February 10, 2005 (2:41 PM).

2006: Voted for a bill to prevent border tunnels.
Rep. Costa voted in favor of H.R. 4830, the Border Tunnel Protection Act of 2006 to penalize any person who constructs or uses a border tunnel. H.R. 4830 passed by a vote of 422 to 0.

2006: Voted in favor of H.R. 6061 to create border fence Rep. Costa voted in favor of H.R. 6061 to create a 700 mile reinforced fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, and to provide for other barriers for border control. H.R. 6061 passed by a vote of 283-138-1 (1 denotes a vote of present.) on September 14, 2006.

2005-2006: Voted against an amendment that requires complete execution of the previously instituted entry-exit system.
Rep. Costa voted against the Sullivan Amendment to H.R. 4437 to require full implementation of the automated entry-exit system that was instituted by Congress in 1996. As well, the Sullivan Amendment would have provided for expedited removal of most illegal aliens. The Sullivan Amendment failed by a vote of 163 to 251.

2005-2006: Voted against a bill to build 700 miles of a border fence.
Rep. Costa voted against final passage of H.R. 4437 which included provisions to create 700 miles of border fencing along the Mexican border and to require implementation of the entry-exit system. H.R. 4437 was passed by the House by a vote of 239 to 182.

2005-2006: Voted for an amendment to reinforce physical structures, including fences, to keep illegal aliens out.
Rep. Costa voted in favor of the Hunter Amendment to H.R. 4437. The Hunter Amendment would shore up security by building fences and other physical infrastructure to keep out illegal aliens. The Hunter Amendment passed by a vote of 260-159.

2005-2006: Voted against amendment (Goode) to H.R. 1815 to authorize troops on the border
Rep. Costa voted against authorizing the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the military, under certain conditions, to assist in the performance of border control functions. H. Amdt. 206, sponsored by Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Va.), passed the House by a vote of 245-184.

2005: Voted in favor of H.R. 418 to reduce asylum fraud Rep. Costa voted in favor of H.R. 418 to significantly the reduced the risk that terrorists will be able to game our asylum system or avoid removal because of loopholes in our immigration laws. H.R. 418 passed by a vote of 261-161 on February 10, 2005 (2:41 PM).

2006: Voted for a bill that increases interior enforcement by allowing the federal government to remove aliens from El Salvador.
Rep. Costa voted for H.R. 6095 to clarify state and local law enforcements inherent authority to enforce Federal immigration laws and overturn a decades-old court injunction that impedes the Federal governments ability to remove aliens from El Salvador on an expedited basis. H.R. 6095 passed by a vote of 277-140.

2006: Voted against an amendment that disallows sanctuary cities for illegal aliens.
Rep. Costa voted against the King Amendment to H.R. 5441, the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill of 2007. The King amendment would deny federal homeland security funding to state and local governments who refuse to share information with Federal immigration authorities.

2006: Voted for an amendment that increased interior enforcement by funding workplace verification.
Rep. Costa voted in favor of the Marshall Amendment to H.R. 5441, the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill of 2007. The Marshall Amendment would fund USCISs electronic employment eligibility verification program. It passed by a vote of 358-63.

2005-2006: Voted against an amendment that requires complete execution of the previously instituted entry-exit system.
Rep. Costa voted against the Sullivan Amendment to H.R. 4437 to require full implementation of the automated entry-exit system that was instituted by Congress in 1996. The Sullivan Amendment failed by a vote of 163 to 251.

2005-2006: Voted against a bill to require their employees legal right to work in the U.S.
Rep. Costa voted against final passage of H.R. 4437 which would increase interior enforcement by requiring employers to use the Basic Pilot program to verify that new hires have the legal right to work in the United States. As well, it would bring state and local law enforcement agencies more into the enforcement fold and provide funding through both grants and reimbursement for their assistance in federal enforcement efforts. H.R. 4437 was passed by the House by a vote of 239 to 182.

2005-2006: Voted against an amendment to confirm local law enforcement has the authority to enforce current immigration law.
Rep. Costa voted against the Norwood Amendment to H.R. 4437 to reaffirm state and local law enforcements existing inherent authority to assist in the enforcement of immigration law. It would bring state and local law enforcement agencies more into the enforcement fold and provide funding through both grants and reimbursement for their assistance in federal enforcement efforts. The Norwood Amendment passed by a vote of 237 to 180.

2005-2006: Voted for H. Amdt. 288 (Tancredo) and against sanctuary policies for illegal aliens
Rep. Costa voted in favor of H. Amdt. 288 to H.R. 2862, the CJS Appropriations bill. The amendment would deny certain federal funding to states and cities that violate federal law by enacting sanctuary policies to protect illegal aliens. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), failed by a vote of 204 to 222 on June 16, 2005 (2:54 PM).

2005-2006: Voted against amendment (Norwood) to H.R. 1817 to clarify State authority concerning immigration law
Rep. Costa voted against the Norwood Amendment to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill to clarify the existing authority of State and local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws and detain illegal aliens on May 18, 2005 (6:31 PM). Rep. Charles Norwood (R-Ga.) was the primary sponsor.

2005-2006: Voted against H. Amdt. 138 (Tancredo) and in favor of sanctuary policies for illegal aliens
Rep. Costa voted against H. Amdt. 138 to H.R. 2360, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2006. The amendment would deny federal homeland security funding to states and local governments who refuse to share information with Federal immigration authorities. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), failed by a vote of 165 to 258 on May 17, 2005 (5:23 PM).

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2005-2006: Cosponsored bill to increase interior enforcement through workplace verification (Dreier)
Rep. Costa was a cosponsor of H.R. 98 to increase penalties against employers who hire illegal aliens and require employers to verify the legal status of potential employees who will be required to hold new Social Security cards with biometric identifiers. In addition, H.R. 98 calls for hiring 10,000 new Homeland Security Department investigators to enforce the law. This would go a long way toward removing the job magnet for illegal immigration. Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.) was this bills primary sponsor.