2014: Signed Letter to Obama Calling for end to DACA Rep. Nunnelee signed a letter to President Obama calling for an end to his deferred action (DACA) program for illegal alien minors. The letter also called on President Obama to refrain from granting any legal status to illegal aliens coming to the U.S. as part of the border surge. The letter was written by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Cal.).

2013-2014: Leadership Points for Joining House Border Security Caucus Rep. Nunnelee joined the House Border Security Caucus in the 113th Congress. The caucus pushes legislation that would secure the border, increase interior enforcement, and enforce current immigration laws.

2014: Voted against amnesty legislation Rep. Nunnelee voted against an amendment to Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans FY2015 budget resolution, H.Con.Res. 96. The amendment would have included increased revenue and spending related to the potential passage of H.R. 15, the House version of the Schumer-Obama amnesty bill. H.R. 15, among other negative aspects, would increase chain migration. The amendment failed 15-22.

2013: Cosponsoring bill to end non-nuclear family chain migration Rep. Nunnelee is a cosponsor of the Nuclear Family Priority Act, H.R. 477. The current annual limits on green cards are 78,000 parents, 65,000 adult brothers and sisters, 23,400 married sons and daughters and 23,400 unmarried adult sons and daughters. H.R. 477 would eliminate the latter three categories, create a special non-working visa for parents, and not provide an increase in any other category, thereby directly decreasing overall immigration by more than 111,800 per year (1.118 million a decade). This would indirectly reduce the numbers by even more over time as there would be fewer recent immigrants who are the ones most likely to bring people into the country as spouses or parents of U.S. citizens. The bills main sponsor is Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.).

2012: Voted in favor of legislation to end the visa lottery in (Smith) Rep. Nunnelee voted in favor of H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act of 2012. This bill cancels the visa lottery program and transfers the visas to STEM categories. The visa lottery prgram grants 55,000 visa annually on a random basis to new immigrants. The bills sponsor is Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.). The legislation passed 245-139. (30 Nov. 2012, 11:39 AM).

2012: Voted in favor of legislation to end the visa lottery (Smith) Rep. Nunnelee voted in favor of H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act of 2012. This bill cancels the visa lottery program, and transfers the 55,000 yearly visas that would have been granted through the visa lottery into two new priority categories (doctorate and masters degree) under 203(b). For the first two fiscal years of the program, unused visas for which petitions or applications for labor certification have been filed will be added to the total visas for the next fiscal year. Following the first two years, remaining unused visas do not transfer to the next fiscal year. Further, student visas are reformed by adding a new STEM-based F-Visa subsection. This allows for new F-Visa applicants who are pursuing a degree in a STEM category to apply without the previously necessary intent to retain their residence in their home country. The bill received a vote of 257-158, but failed to pass the House because a 2/3rds vote was required for passage. The legislations main sponsor is Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

2011: Cosponsoring a bill that eliminates the visa lottery (Goodlatte).
The visa lottery gives out 50,000 green cards each year, and it does not take into account humanitarian need, family connections, or potential contribution to the United States. Rep. ZZlastname is cosponsoring H.R. 704, which would eliminate this arbitrary system. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) is the main sponsor of this bill.

2014: Voted against amnesty legislation Rep. Nunnelee voted against an amendment to Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans FY2015 budget resolution, H.Con.Res. 96. The amendment would have included increased revenue and spending related to the potential passage of H.R. 15, the House version of the Schumer-Obama amnesty bill. H.R. 15, among other negative aspects, would increase foreign worker visas. The amendment failed 15-22.

2014: Voted against amnesty legislation Rep. Nunnelee voted against an amendment to Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans FY2015 budget resolution, H.Con.Res. 96. The amendment would have included increased revenue and spending related to the potential passage of H.R. 15, the House version of the Schumer-Obama amnesty bill. H.R. 15, among other negative aspects, would increase refugee and asylum fraud. The amendment failed 15-22.

2014: Voted to lock in President Obamas executive Amnesty Rep. Nunnelee cast a crucial YES vote in helping Pres. Obama and Speaker Boehner pass the CRomnibus that appears to fully fund the Obama amnesty through the Social Security Administration, Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies through next September, while funding the Department of Homeland Security part of the amnesty for the next couple of months. Most Democrats voted to kill the spending bill (mainly over other issues in the legislation). The net effect, though, was that Pres. Obama got his amnesty affirmed and funded mainly by a Republican Party that made opposition to amnesty one of the three main planks in their campaigns to take over Congress this fall.

2014: Voted against amnesty legislation Rep. Nunnelee voted against an amendment to Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans FY2015 budget resolution, H.Con.Res. 96. The amendment would have included increased revenue and spending related to the potential passage of H.R. 15, the House version of the Schumer-Obama amnesty bill. The amendment failed 15-22.

2013: Voted in favor of King Amdt to DHS Appropriations bill to prevent amnesty by prosecutorial discretion Rep. Nunnelee voted in favor of the King amendment to the FY2014 DHS Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2217). This amendment would have prohibited the Department of Homeland Security from using funds appropriated by Congress to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos. The Morton Memos were a series of three memos issued in 2011 that authorized the use of prosecutorial discretion and/or deferred action to provide amnesty to certain illegal aliens, particularly those brought here as children by their illegal alien parents. The amendment, offered by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), passed by a 224-201 vote (6 June 2013).

2012: Cosponsored legislation to prevent amnesty (Quayle) Rep. Nunnelee has cosponsored H.R. 5953, the Prohibiting Back-door Amnesty Act. This legislation would prohibit the implementation of certain policies regarding the exercise of prosecutorial discretion by the Secretary of Homeland Security (i.e., implementation of the Obama Amnesty). The bills main sponsor is Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.).

2012: Voted in favor of amendment to prevent amnesty by prosecutorial discretion (King) Rep. Nunnelee voted in favor of the King amendment to the FY2013 DHS Appropriations Bill. This amendment would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from using funds appropriated by Congress to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos. The Morton Memos were a series of three memos issued in 2011 that authorized the use of prosecutorial discretion and/or deferred action to provide amnesty to illegal aliens. The amendment

2011: Cosponsoring legislation to prevent administrative amnesties Rep. Nunnelee is cosponsoring H.R. 2497, the HALT Act. This legislation would suspend the Administrations authority to waive inadmissibility, parole, cancel removal, designate new TPS (Temporary Protected Status), or grant deferred action for illegal aliens (also known as administrative amnesty) until the end of the Presidential term, January 21, 2013. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is the bills main sponsor.

2013: Cosponsoring a bill that ends birthright citizenship (King). Rep. Nunnelee is cosponsoring H.R. 140, which eliminates birthright citizenship, the process that automatically grants citizenship to the estimated 350,000 U.S.-born children of illegal aliens each year. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) is the main sponsor of this bill.

2011: Cosponsoring a bill that ends birthright citizenship (King).
Rep. Nunnelee is cosponsoring H.R. 140, which eliminates birthright citizenship, the process that automatically grants citizenship to the estimated 350,000 U.S.-born children of illegal aliens each year. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) is the main sponsor of this bill.

2014: Voted against amnesty legislation Rep. Nunnelee voted against an amendment to Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans FY2015 budget resolution, H.Con.Res. 96. The amendment would have included increased revenue and spending related to the potential passage of H.R. 15, the House version of the Schumer-Obama amnesty bill. The amendment failed 15-22.

2014: Voted against amnesty legislation Rep. Nunnelee voted against an amendment to Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryans FY2015 budget resolution, H.Con.Res. 96. The amendment would have included increased revenue and spending related to the potential passage of H.R. 15, the House version of the Schumer-Obama amnesty bill. H.R. 15, among other negative aspects, would decrease border security. The amendment failed 15-22.

2012: Voted against an amendment to hamstring border enforcement in 2012 (Grijalva) Rep. Nunnelee voted against the Grijalva amendment to H.R. 2578, legislation to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This amendment would have stripped provisions that allow the Border Patrol to bypass regulations put in place by the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture on federal lands within 100 miles of the border. The amendments sponsor is Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and it failed 177-247 (19 June 2012).

2012: Supported an amendment to place cell towers on the border (Poe) Rep. Nunnelee supported the Poe Amendment to the FY2013 DHS Appropriations Bill. This amendment would allocate funding for the building of cell phone towers along stretches of the U.S. - Mexico border so that Border Patrol agents and others in trouble can call law enforcement for assistance. The amendment passed by a vote of 302-113 (6 June 2012).

2011: Opposed an amendment to build cell phone towers along the U.S. - Mexico border (Poe) Rep. Nunnelee opposed the Poe Amendment to the FY 2012 DHS Appropriations Bill. This amendment would allocate funding for the building of cell phone towers along stretches of the U.S. - Mexico border so that Border Patrol agents and others in trouble can call law enforcement for assistance. The amendment passed by a vote of 327-93 (1 June 2011).

2011: Cosponsoring the SAVE Act to increase the number of border patrol agents and provide them with more advanced equipment (Shuler).
Rep. Nunnelee is cosponsoring H.R. 2000, the Secure America Through Verification and Enforcement Act of 2011. The SAVE Act would increase border security by increasing the number of border patrol agents, providing more funding for the Tunnel Task Force, providing for new and updated border security, surveillance, communication, and apprehension technology, improving border security infrastructure, and empowering governors in border states to declare a border emergency and request temporary redeployment of up to 1,000 additional Border Patrol Agents. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) is the main sponsor of this bill.

2014: Voted in favor of amendment to deprive sanctuary cities of funds Rep. Nunnelee voted in favor of the King amendment to H.R. 4460, the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill. This amendment would deprive sanctuary cities of funds due to them from enforcing federal immigration laws. Sanctuary cities are localities that do not notify federal authorities when illegal aliens are arrested, thereby acting as safe harbors for illegal aliens. The amendment passed 214-194.

2014: Voted in Favor of Amendment to Investigate Release of Illegal Aliens Rep. Nunnelee voted in favor of the King amendment to H.R. 4660, the Commerce, Science, and Justice Appropriations Bill. This amendment would appropriate $5 million for the Justice Department to investigate the release of 36,007 illegal aliens with criminal convictions by DHS. The amendment passed 218-193.

2012: Voted in favor of an amendment to protect the 287(g) program (Sullivan) Rep. Nunnelee voted in favor of the Sullivan amendment to the FY2013 DHS Appropriations Bill. The amendment would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from terminating 287(g) agreements. The amendment, offered by Rep. John Sullivan (R-Ok.), passed by a 250-164 vote (7 June 2012).

2011: Cosponsored legislation to mandate E-Verify (Smith) Rep. Nunnelee cosponsored H.R. 2885, the Legal Workforce Act of 2011. This legislation would replace the current I-9 system by making E-Verify (currently the basic pilot federal employment verification program) permanent and mandatory for all employees via a gradual phase-in process. Specifically, an employer with 10,000 or more employees has 6 months to become compliant after the bills enactment, while employers with 500 to 10,000 employees have 12 months, employers with 20 to 500 employees have 18 months, employers with 1 to 20 employees have 24 months, and agriculture service employers have 36 months. It also provides a good faith defense against liability for an employer or recruiter who uses E-Verify and an error occurs.
This legislation stipulates penalties between $250 and $25,000 for non-compliance depending on the size of the company and number of offenses; pattern offenders can then be charged up to $15,000 for each unauthorized alien. In addition, it requires reverification of employees with limited work authorization and allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to debar a repeat offender from federal contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements. Furthermore, it stipulates fines and a criminal penalty, between 1 and 15 years in prison, for an individual who knowingly provides an authorization number belonging to another individual.
Under this legislation, the SSA (Social Security Administration) is required to send out no-match letters to employers if the name and Social Security number of a current employee do not match. The employer is then required to run these employees through E-Verify. The SSA is also required to send a yearly notification to each owner of a Social Security number that has multiple employees reporting use. Moreover, this bill would then establish a voluntary Biometric Employment Eligibility Verification Program (Biometric Pilot) to record and store biometric information making it easier to defend against identity theft.
Finally, while state and local laws relating to employment verification are preempted by this legislation, states and localities may continue to exercise authority over business licensing laws that penalize employers for not being compliant with an employment verification system. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is the bills main sponsor.

2011: Opposed an amendment to defund the 287(g) program (Polis) Rep. Nunnelee opposed the Polis Amendment to H.R. 2017, the FY2012 DHS Appropriations Bill. Rep. Polis amendment would have removed all funding for the 287(g) program from the bill, thereby preventing DHS from administering the program (effectively killing the 287(g) program). The amendment failed by a vote of 313-107 (2 June 2011).

2011: Supported an amendment to keep violent illegal aliens in custody (Cravaack) Rep. Nunnelee supported the Cravaack Amendment to the FY 2012 DHS Appropriations Bill. Rep. Cravaacks amendment would prevent the government from releasing convicted violent or dangerous illegal aliens while they are awaiting deportation. The amendment passed 289-131 (2 June 2011).

2011: Voted in favor of an amendment to increase 287(g) funding (Royce) Rep. Nunnelee voted in favor of the Royce Amendment to H.R. 2017, the FY2012 DHS Appropriations Bill. This amendment would increase funding for the 287(g) program by $1 million (about 18.5%). The amendment passed by a vote of 268-151 (1 June 2011).

2011: Cosponsoring the SAVE Act to mandate the use of the E-Verify employment verification system (Shuler).
Rep. Nunnelee is cosponsoring H.R. 2000, the Secure America Through Verification and Enforcement Act of 2011. The SAVE Act would help reduce illegal immigration by requiring every employer in the United States to eventually use the E-Verify electronic employment eligibility verification system to verify that every employee has the legal right to work in the United States. As well, H.R. 4088 contains other interior enforcement measures such as increasing the number of ICE agents and training at least 250 State and local law enforcement officers on how to perform federal immigration enforcement procedures. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) is the main sponsor of this bill.

2011: Cosponsoring a bill that reauthorizes E-Verify and mandates its permanent use (Carter).
Rep. Nunnelee is cosponsoring the E-LAW Act of 2011 (H.R. 800), which permanently reestablishes the E-Verify employment verification system and requires all employers to use the system to verify that all current employees and future hires are allowed to work in the United States. The bills main sponsor is Rep. John Carter (R-Texas).

2011: Cosponsoring a bill that requires federal contractors to use E-Verify (Gallegly).
Rep. Nunnelee is cosponsoring H.R. 282, which requires all federal contractors and subcontractors to use the E-Verify employment verification system. Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) is the main sponsor of this bill.