Speech #940004701

Mr. Speaker. on January 14. I reintroduced H.R. 982. an amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act. which will make it unlawful to knowingly hire aliens who have not been legally admitted to this country for permanent residence or have not been authorized by the Attorney General to work while in the United States on a temporary basis. This bill. which I first introduced in the 92d Congress in 1:972. has twice passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority. Such legislation was needed at that time. and the statistics relating to apprehension and deportation of illegal aliens clearly demonstrate that the problem has now reached severealmost crisis proportions. It is significant to note that the number of illegal aliens removed from this country in the last fiscal year was double the number legally admitted for permanent residence under our present immigration law. It is quite evident that in the absence of remedial legislation. the situation will continue to worsen rapidly. Population growth and increases in the labor forces of the economically less advantaged countries in this hemisphere. which are the source of most illegal aliens. are growing rapidly. A doubling of the work force in many of these countries is indicated for the next decade. These "push" factors. coupled with the economic attractiveness of employment in the United States. will intensify the illegal aliens problem unless corrective action is taken. All of us are aware of the tremendously high unemployment in the United States today. Millions of Americans are desperately seeking employment but are unable to find it. At the same time. those hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens who have already entered our labor market continue to deprive Americans and legal residents of needed job opportunities. The impact of these illegal aliens upon our Nation and the economy is severe. particularly in this recessionary period. When I served as chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee in the 92d Congress we held hearings in seven cities beginning in 1971 and heard numerous accounts and illustrations of the impact. A Department of Labor witness testified that illegal aliens Indeed take jobs that would normally be filled by American workers. They depress wages and impair working conditions and compete with unskilled and less educated Americansthe disadvantaged to whom our manpower programs are directed. The Commissioner of Immigration last fall testified that with passage of this legislation and with some increases in manpower and resources for his agency 1 million jobs would be opened up for unemployed Americans and legal resident aliens. Illegal aliens increase the burden on taxpayers in many ways. Welfare and unemployment costs are accelerated when citizens efforts to find employment are thwarted because illegal aliens are holding jobs. We heard testimony that these aliens avoid income taxes and send much of the money they earn out of this country. Perhaps as much as $1 billion or more yearly is removed from our economy this way. accounting for a large part of our balanceofpayments deficit. In addition. the illegal aliens reduce the effectiveness of employee organizations. and themselves represent to unscrupulous employers a group that is highly susceptible to exploitation. In the hearings. we heard of many instances of aliens who had come illegally to the United States to improve their lot. yet were victimized by those who pretended to aid them. Many pay exhorbitant sums of money for documents. fraudulent or otherwise. which are used to unlawfully enter this country. The illegals. who are more to be pitied than scorned. are always mindful and fearful of detection and apprehension. Consequently they are in a precarious position. subject to substandard wages and working conditions and forfeiture of overtime and fringe benefits. Since the illegal aliens are usually unskilled or low skilled workers. they compete most directly with members of minority groups who have been traditionally denied opportunities to improve their skills and always make up the largest portion of unemployed persons. In many instances. these are nativeborn Mexican Americans or aliens lawfully admitted to the United States. I am fully convinced that the benefits which will accrue to ethnic and minority groups from this legislation will far outweigh any risk that such individuals will lose their jobsa possibility which some have feared may result. Furthermore. the bill has been carefully drafted to preserve the job security of all American workers and afford new employment opportunities for U.S. citizens and aliens legally in the United States. Immigration is basically good for the United States. Immigrants have built this Nation and will continue to benefit our country by offering their skills and talents. But immigration must be orderly. Aliens coming to the United States. whether as immigrants or nonimmigrants must come within the provisions of the law. Our Government cannot condone fraud in connection with its immigration laws. Nor can we look the other way when aliens admitted as nonimmigrants violate their status by taking unauthorized employment. which means one more job opportunity is lost for a citizen or legal alien. More particularly. firm action must be taken against those unscrupulous employers who cruelly and selfishly exploit this source of cheap labor for their economic advantage. Although the Immigration and Nationality Act imposes severe criminal penalties on the alien who surreptitiously enters our country across the border. it has proved to be an ineffective deterrent. as demonstrated by the vast numbers who now enter each year. Moreover. there is no penalty for the employer who makes use of this labor supply for his own ends. This bill will cover the void which now exists in the law. and by removing the employment incentive I believe it will act as an effective deterrent to further illegal entry. In summary. the adverse impact of millions of illegal aliens on the labor market. public service programs and our balanceofpayments deficit is overwhelming and a comprehensive legislative solution is urgently needed. As a result I have asked the Immigration Subcommittee to give this bill their immediate attention.