Speech #960104185

Mr. Speaker. today I have introduced legislation aimed at dealing with the massive influx of illegal aliens which are swarming across our borders every day due to the almost complete lack of enforcement of our immigration laws. The Comprehensive Illegal Alien Control Act represents an overall effort to deal with this pressing problem. and I am pleased to have a number of cosponsors join me in offering the legislation. The bill is a tough one which calls for civil penalties on employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens. but a realistic one which recognizes that we often need temporary foreign labor to perform jobs Americans simply will not perform. The bill calls. first. for a boost In our Border Patrol strength to a level of 3.800. a onethird increase in the current manning levels of the Border Patrol. This increase is necessary. Mr. Speaker. because current Border Patrol manning levels are simply inadequate to cope with the tide of illegals sweeping across our borders. Border Patrol officers admit they are only apprehending one of every three or four illegals who attempt to enter the country. and yet. apprehensions along the San Diego County. Calif.. border alone. are averaging 35.000 to 45.000 per month. and on weekend nights. apprehensions sometimes total over 2.000 per night. The Border Patrol is demoralized and underequipped. trying to fulfill their important mission with inadequate backing from us. The measure tasks the Commissioner of Social Security to develop a tamperproof social security card to protect the integrity of the social security account and empowers the Social Security Administration to verify. through State vital statistics agencies. that an applicant is who he says he is. Currently. if an applicant is armed with fraudulent documents which are convincing. he can ob-