ms. martinez. you eloquently spoke to the fact that what we need to do. ut i think you did not speak clearly enough. it's going to take enforcement. you did say that a large americans want immigration fixed. i want it fixed alsz. i know we're not going to send people. million i'll be standing at the front of the line to argue that. the question wasn't asked that way. if you ask those people, should they all get amnesty, those significantly increase ecause i'm not only hear it in pennsylvania, but people across the country. we need to deal with this, but not total amnesty. there was a statement about enforcement levels that this administration increased. that's not true. 'm disappoint in this administration and the bush administration for not issue in the s previous administration and the bush administration. been doing, lt has what homeland has been doing is sent back at als the border are considered to be individuals who are here and sent back. that's how they inflate the numbers. i am offended by

ms. martinez. you in your written testimony outlined instances where american citizens have been deported, which is a travesty. i wonder if you can -- you didn't have an opportunity to go through that, but we have come across numerous instances where mistakes have been made including in l.a. county where american citizens were ap rehedgedded and then -- apprehended and then deported even though they were americans from birth. can you address that issue? >> thank you. indeed, there are several of those cases particularly that were documented in the recent findings about maricopa county. in terms of the discrimination, and in terms of people being deported there's a variety of reasons. somebody doesn't answer the right question, and they end up being categorized as somebody who is deportable. it has happened to u.s. citizens. i know it is extremely hard to fathom. but it does happen. and part of the reason is that the toxic nature of our immigration debate -- and that's why we are desperately in need

ms. martinez. i think that you and i are kind of emotional. i think about a broken immigration system that we are trying to fix. for us to think that we cannot reach comprehensive approaches to immigration reform without local law enforcement participating in it, i think it is a mistake. i know that you and i, we want to reach a common agreement on what we need to do. i believe that we have the same goal. but my problem is i think it is unrealistic to think that we will have any kind of immigration reform without having this local law enforcement and giving him the tools that he needs. i have practiced this for 15 years, and i have no idea that you only have 5000 agents dealing with 40 million people. if you think about 5000 agents dealing with 40 million people, that is why we have the problem that we have today. that is why we have so many people in the united states illegally. for someone to say that you cannot do your job, my friend. that you cannot do your job because you do not understand imm

ms. clarissa martinez de castro is the director of civic engagement and immigration at the national council raza. ms. martinez overseas to advance the immigration priorities as well as efforts to expand latino policy advocacy participation. a naturalized united states citizen she's a graduate of occidental college and harvard kennedy school of government. welcome to each and every one of you. this is a large panel and i want to ensure you that in your written statement will be entered into the record in their entirety and i ask each of you to summarize your testimony in five minutes or less. to help you stay in that time there is a light on your table. when the light switches from green to yellow you'll have one minute to conclude. when the light turns red signals the witnesses five minutes have expired. i want to also note that i have an amendment on the floor in the national defense authorization act coming up in a little bit and i will have to step out. chairman gowdy or others will fill the chair and we will keep the hearing going in a smooth fashion. i apologize for not being here for