Speech #930121234

Mr. Chairman. when one mentions illegal aliens. all too often attention is given to Mexican citizens who enter the United States at numerous locations in the American Southwest. While Mexicans do represent the vast majority of illegal aliensaccording to information from the State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Servicethe fact remains that in other parts of the United States. most of those classified as illegal come from other nations of Central and South America and the Caribbean. While exact figures are unavailable. it is believed that the greatest single number of illegal aliens in the Northeast are from the Dominican Republic. It has been estimated. for example. that there are more than 200.000 illegal Dominicans in the New York City area alone and I have heard even higher figures. Most of them have come to the United States in recent years. Whatever their numbers or nationalities. these hapless men. women. and children are not only the victims of unscrupulous employers and landlords. but are also the victims of punitive and discriminatory tactics used by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Throughout the New York area there have been countless dragnets in which anyone who may speak with a Spanish accent. who appears to be of Latin background to the immigration inspector or who may otherwise present a "foreign" or Latin appearance is apprehended and forced to present some proof of American citizenship. There is little question. but that these raids violate the basic civil liberties and human rights of citizens and aliens alike. What is particularly tragic is the fact that no agencyeither the State Department or the Immigration and Naturalization Serviceseems to be interested in the factors precipitating this great desire to emigrate to the United States. whether legally or illegally. Rather. they only appear to be interested in developing policies and engaging in practices to increase their questionable activities and to harass and intimidate Latin Americans. From what I am able to gather. there just seems to be no real desire to ascertain what meaningful efforts can be made to humanely and effectively resolve the problem.