Speech #920282715

I am equally concerned. Mr. Chairman. that we are still not giving the same treatment to Western Hemisphere immigrants that we have given to their Eastern Hemisphere counterparts since 1965. Many of my MexicanAmerican constituents contend. and I think rightfully so. that our policy toward Western Hemisphere aliens is designed to restrict immigration. at least legal immigration on the Mexican border. As we all know. there is no preference system far immigration from the Western Hemisphere as there is for the Eastern Hemisphere. All aliens seeking to enter this country for permanent residence from the Western Hemisphere. except immediate relatives. must obtain Labor Department certification. This is. of course. totally impossible for the thousands of unskilled workers attempting to enter this country from Mexico. Yet. labor certification is not required for unmarried sons and daughters of citizens. spouses and unmarried sons and daughters of per.manent resident aliens. married sons and daughters of citizens. and brothers and sisters of citizens from Eastern Hemisphere countries. even though they be just as unskilled as persons from Mexico. With the termination of the bracero program and with the imposition of the labor certification requirement we effectively ended legal immigration from Mexico of the unskilled and semiskilled who are not immediate relatives of American citizens and as a result illegal immigration increased proportionately. Since 1963 there has been a huge influx of nonimmigrants from Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America and a vast underground labor market has been created. These poor. exploited workers. living at the margins of society and the law could not participate in the political life of the community and were frequently used to blunt the efforts of American workers for decent wages. job security. and better working conditions. The answer in my opinion. therefore. is not to further restrict immigration from Mexico and other Western Hemisphere countries but to remove the. inequity which currently exists in the Immigration and Naturalization Act and accord the same treatment to Western and Eastern Hemisphere applicants. I was deeply pleased by your statement earlier. Mr.