Speech #920107640

Mr. Speaker. on May 5. 1971. the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Nationality. of which I am chairman. began a series of hearings on the impact that aliens illegally in the United States have on unemployment in the United States. Subsequent field hearings were held in Los Angeles oh June 19 and 21. in Denver on June 24 and 25. and in El Paso on July 8 and 9. As we investigated the issue of aliens illegally in the United States. the magnitude of the problem grew into staggering proportions. Concurrently. mail came to the committee from all over the United States pointing out other problems caused by illegal aliens. praising the committee for its efforts. and urging that the investigations continue. I want to advise the House that the Subcommittee on Immigration and Nationality will hold further hearings in the very near future in Chicago. Detroit. the New YorkNew Jersey metropolitan area. and Washington. D.C. This subcommittee has special jurisdiction over immigration and nationality matters and it will properly exercise this jurisdiction to find out why and how so many aliens are illegally in the United States. how much money they send abroad thus affecting our balance of payments. how many Americans are out of work because illegal aliens have taken their jobs. how unscrupulous employers take advantage of illegal aliens. how illegal workers depress wages. how smugglers exploit poor persons seeking only a better life in the United States. and how great the cost is to the public through nonpayment of hospital bills. as well as the receipt of unemployment compensation. welfare and other public services. The subcommittee is now considering many possible solutions to this vast and complex issue. When our hearings are completed and we are satisfied that we have investigated all areas of concern. appropriate legislation will be brought to the House. As I previously stated before the House. close to 350.000 illegal aliens were deported from the United States last year at a cost of $35 million. The hearings have developed that the deportation of this many aliens merely scratches the surface under which lies perhaps 11/2 million aliens illegally residing in the United States. In addition to the general public interest. our hearings have developed. I am very pleased to note that newspapers throughout the United States have given extensive coverage to this problem and more particularly major newspapers have followed the thrust of our hearings and have printed lead articles showing the impact of this problem.