Immigration reform died in the Senate in 2007, but businesses in Silicon Valley pressed Lofgren and others to try and pass a few narrower reforms to make it easier to hire foreign skilled workers. Lofgren agreed to try, but said the Senate had "effectively kill[ed] immigration reform in the 110th Congress."

Lofgren voted against building a fence along the border with Mexico in September 2006. The proposal passed the House, 283 to 138, in the 109th Congress and was signed by President George W. Bush. By 2009, however, Lofgren began to praise the fence. "The number of unlawful entries is dropping tremendously," she said. "...Professionals believe it is strongly related to how difficult it now is to make an unlawful entry.

Despite some hardline stands on monitoring the U.S.-Mexican border, Lofgren is generally known as a tough critic of a security-first immigration policy. "At this record rate of arrests, it would still take 2,943 years to deport the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants," she said. Local district attorneys often gripe to Lofgren that they have been forced to handle major criminal cases because the Justice Department has invested too many resources in immigration prosecutions.

In 2008, Lofgren sponsored a bill that would have granted citizenship to immigrants who were members of the Armed Forces and were combat veterans. The bill died in the 110th Congress despite having 19 co-sponsors.

Despite GOP criticism, Lofgren has sought to improve medical care for immigrants detained by the Homeland Security Department. She has also sponsered a measure to shorten the delay in receiving and renewing visas.

Lofren has also clashed with Joe Arpaio, a Phoenix-area sheriff who rose to national prominence as "America's toughest sheriff" for his reputation in launching harsh immigration raids. Arpaio was the target of five lawsuits alleging misconduct, racial profiling and segregation by plaintiffs represented by the ACLU. Lofgren was one of several House Members to deliver an anti-Arpaio petition to the Justice and Homeland Security departments. "I'm concerned that...Latino members of [the] community are considered 'undocumented' until proven otherwise," Lofgren said.

The Obama administration has made immigration legislation a priority in 2010, and Lofgren is writing legislation with Sen. Charles E. Schumer to present to Congress.

Ethics

Lofgren's selection in January 2009 to chair the House ethics committee was praised by congressional watchdogs who have long decried the panel's futility. She pledged to hold members to the highest possible standards, but was quickly vexed by an inherited investigation into Rep. Charles B. Rangel. In June 2009, Lofgren announced her committee would look into whether the congressman violated House gift rules.

In November 2010, a subcommittee of the panel, chaired by Logren, convicted Rangel on 11 counts of breaking House rules.

Lofgren's job was complicated further by the ongoing federal probe into a lobbying firm, PMA Group, close to the late Rep. John Murtha. Lofgren returned $7,000 from the firm's PAC to avoid an appearance of a conflict of interest should the investigation come before her committee.

The Economy

Lofgren supported the fall 2008 financial rescue package and the February 2009 economic stimulus. "These bozos, they risked other people's money and they brought our economy to a very serious situation," she said. "This is a massive regulatory failure.''

Many Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and small businesses were deeply hurt by the 2008 credit freeze. Lofgren wanted to see legislation allowing homeowners in foreclosure the ability to renegotiate their mortgages.

Silicon Valley

Lofgren is also a force for technology issues on the Hill. She's sponsored legislation to crackdown on robo-calls, or automated phone calls frequently with a financial or political purpose, and is also the go-to person when colleagues' BlackBerrys or computers break down on Capitol Hill.

She's a leader on cybersecurity issues and works with the Homeland Security Department to ensure appropriate agencies can thwart hackers. In 2008, Lofgren introduced legislation to freeze state and local taxes on wireless technology.

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