Speech #930041632

Mr. Chairman. the bill. H.R. 982. which the committee brings to the floor today. is the direct product of a yearlong investigation by the Immigration and Nationality Subcommittee into the illegal alien problem. In any discussion of this problem it must be recognized that the term "illegal alien" includes not only the alien who surreptitiously enters this country but also any alien who enters legally as a nonimmigrantvisitor. student. and so forthand thereafter violates the terms of his admission. The committee has been especially disturbed by the taking of employment by such individualsa situation which has resulted in the substantial displacement of American labor. Our committee has long been concerned with this problem and in recent years it has been intensified to such an extent that present estimates indicate that there are approximately 1 to 2 million illegal aliens in this country. CXIX---895Part 11 In the 92d Congress the administration included provisions in its omnibus immigration bill which would initially impose criminal penalties on those who knowingly employ illegal aliens. When administration witnesses appeared before the Judiciary Committee in support of this legislation. it was indicated that the illegal alien problem had reached serious proportions and that legislation was urgently needed. As a result Subcommittee No. 1 of the Committee on the Judiciary immediately commenced a detailed investigation in an effort to determine the magnitude and scope of the problem and to determine the impact of illegal aliens on the American economy. The subcommittee members traveled to six major cities throughout the United StatesLos Angeles. Calif..