Speech #960249822

Speaker. I would like to call to the attention of my colleagues an article that recently appeared in the Washington Post. This article. written by Michael Barone. is significant in pointing out a fact not often recognized in literature on the subject of immigration: This country has a net gain from the influx of immigrants. Mr. Barone uses the social security system as an example of how we benefit from immigration. The structure of social security is based on a system where revenues derived from the existing labor force pay for present recipients. With the fall in our present birthrate and the increase in life expectancy of our populationgoals we consciously set out to achievethe system is destined to collapse of its own weight within the next 20 years. The influx of immigrants is presently bolstering that system and is providing the necessary foundation for the future. The net benefit comes from the support we presently derive for social security and the change in demographics which will provide future support for that system. These net benefits accrue not only in the social security system but in other taxsupported services as well. An article written in August of last year reported that Mexican illegal immigration "makes scant use of welfare and other social services and contributes far more to the United States than they take from it." This reporter found such a benefit being derived from Mexican immigration that he titled his article. "Three Cheers for Illegal Aliens." In other areas. such as employment. the benefits derived from the immigrant seem to outweigh our losses. There is evidence that immigrants displace domestic workers. however. studies show that there is far less than a 1 to 1 displacement ratio. Studies such as the one done by Dr. Wayne Cornelius show that immigrants. both legal and illegal. largely fill a labor demand that would otherwise go unfilled in lowpaying. menial positions. That is not to say that immigrants only work in marginal jobs. As Mr. Barone points out. immigrants. through their motivation to make a new life. actually expand and strengthen our Nations economy. With recent statistics showing little or no growth in productivity. we can only benefit from immigrant labor. With all the benefits we derive from our immigrants. we continue to perceive them as a problem and a burden. The media has portrayed the current immigration pattern as an "invasion." Constituents write their Congressman daily to stop the "alien hordes." Congress has responded to this sentiment by passing legislation aimed at restricting the rights of immigrants. Amendments recently passed by the Congress further restrict the availability of SSI to aliens. The Food Stamp Act included an amendment to require eligibility workers to report undocumented aliens to the INS And. present consideration of the reauthorization for Legal Services Corporation may include an amendment to restrict aliens from access to legal assistance. To deny the right of basic legal services to our immigrants is to condone their exploitation and to erode the spirit of "equal protection under the law." I urge my colleagues to carefully assess their views on the subject of immigration both documented and undocumented. Congress can nurture this "antialien" sentiment through further restrictive legislation or Congress can begin the process of reexamining our entire immigration policy by considering both sides of this sensitive and highly complex issue. I commend this article to my colleagues. I urge them to read it carefully. [From the Washington Post.