Senate Debate Roundup: IMMIGRATION

Claire McCaskill says it sounds like finger nails on a blackboard.

She's referring to how she feels when Sen. Talent "misrepresents her positions." On Friday, one of the biggest battles of the debate was over immigration policy.

Talent is opposed to amnesty for the millions of illegal immigrants already in the country. "Congress did that 20 years ago and the problem is six times as bad as it was then," Talent said.

But Talent said McCaskill favors amnesty.

"She's opposed to a fence on the border and has made statements in support of an amnesty," Talent said.

"I have never said I was for amnesty, ever," McCaskill snapped back. "I have said fencing is not the only option. I never said I was opposed to fencing. I never said I was opposed to securing the border."

In a series of Fact Check press releases shot out after the debate, the Talent campaign outlined where they believe McCaskill is flip-flopping:

"McCaskill said priority for legalization should be given to those who return to their own countries and apply legally," wrote Josh Flory of the Columbia Daily Tribune back in March. "McCaskill talked tough about the need to protect the border but shied away from more restrictive measures under consideration. A border fence, she said, 'is not going to solve the problem.'"

It's true that McCaskill never uttered the word amnesty in those sentences. She said she just focuses on a multi-pronged approach to the problem, with the real answer being cracking down on employers who knowingly hire illegals.

"There is no enforcement in this Administration against employers who are hiring illegal immigrants and everyone in Washington, D.C. knows it," McCaskill said.

She accused Talent of never talking about the need to crackdown on employers. That wasn't true. Talent said, "we need stronger employer sanctions backed up by good technology so we know who is in the country lawfully and who isn't." In an interview, McCaskill later acknowledged she misspoke, but noted that Talent only mentioned employer sanctions briefly.

Talent said a beefed up border combined with employer sanctions, new technology and increased training of American workers will help shrink the flow of illegal immigration. Talent recently voted for an amendment he cosponsored to fund 370 miles of a triple-layered fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers along the nation's southwest border.

"If we do those things, employment opportunities will shrink and they'll begin to go home and it will probably get better instead of worse," Talent said.