Heller, Reid Push to Define Nevada as a 'Border State'

Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) offered an amendment to the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill that would define Nevada as a “border state” despite the fact that no part of Nevada’s state borders touch Mexico.

“Nevada is a top destination for travelers all over the world and is an international hub through which tens of millions of people pass each year, our state benefits from the cultural diversity of Filipino, Chinese and Armenian communities to name a few and we are couched between two states that border the country of Mexico,” Heller said on the Senate floor when he introduced the amendment. 

“Las Vegas is known for McCarran International Airport which sees tens of millions of tourists each year and is merely a short drive away from Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix. Nevada’s unique location leaves it highly vulnerable to our flawed immigration system, and open to this exact same problem faced by other southwestern border states like Arizona, Texas, California, and New Mexico. But, despite the fact that Nevada is in many respects a border state that copes with the exact same immigration problems facing states like California, this bill in its current form excludes Nevada from the list of states that are eligible to join the Southern Border Security Commission, so my Amendment, Heller 1227, would include Nevada with other southwestern border states whose governors would comprise the Southern Border Security Commission.”

Heller noted his amendment would include Nevada as a border state. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat who also hails from Nevada, confirmed to Breitbart News that Reid is a cosponsor on the amendment as well.

“This amendment ensures the commission created in the underlying bill is fully representative of issues affecting southern border and southwestern states,” Heller said. “Although Nevada does not touch the southern border, its current demographics and state issues are reflective of other southern border states and Nevada should have a voice on this commission.”