Speech #970008406

Mr. Speaker. last year in this Chamber we debated the merits of the Census Bureaus widely publicized effort to seek out and count illegal aliens in the decennial census. for the purpose of reapportionment. Some of us criticized the Carter administrations strenuous efforts to augment the count of those who are in this country in violation of our immigration laws. My colleagues no doubt recall that some in that administration even recorded special television and radio messages. while thenAttorney General Civiletti ordered a suspension of enforcement of the law. while pledging that census data on illegal aliens would "not be sought by. accepted by. or divulged to the Immigration and Naturalization Service or any other arm of the Department of Justice." There was considerable debate at the time as to whether or not the Census Bureau could determine who was an illegal alien. or to use the former administrations term. "undocumented alien." The Census Bureau maintanined such a determination was not possible. hence illegal aliens were sought out. counted. and we now have the results before us. The Census Bureau. in its February 23. 1981. press release. announced thatThe larger 1980 count of Hispanics is a result of improvements in census taking and improved public relations. which. in turn. resulted in the inclusion of a sizable but unknown number of persons in the country in other than legal status. (Italics are mine.) The improved public relations efforts were already known about. They apparently served their purpose. illegal aliens were not arrested for violating the law. We do not know how many were counted. but the Census Bureau tells us that a "sizable but unknown number of persons" were included. If they know there was a sizable number. why do they not know how many? Finally. why beat around the bush with the terminology "in the country in other than legal status"? Why not just say "illegal aliens"? The term "undocumented aliens" fascinated me. Shall we call a bank robber a "holder not in due course"? A drug pusher an "unlicensed pharmacist"? Of course. I am not comparing illegal aliens with bank robbers or drug pushers. but the fact is these people are here in violation of the law. Being undocumented. or to use the newest phrase. "in the country in other than legal status." is a consequence of their illegal presence. I can remember when the prohibition laws were a mockery and led to massive disrespect for law enforcement and the law itself. Are we to treat our laws on immigration the same way? And what do we say to someone who must wait years to emigrate legally to our country? We equate stupidity with abiding by the law. Now they have been counted.