Speech #970012512

The data from these cards would be submitted for verification when an individual applies for a new job. By the time this third stage goes into effect. there should be adequate facilities to verify immediately every new applicant for employment. I have reviewed the various options that are available to discourage the employment of undocumented workers. including a separate work permit card and a callin data bank. In examining the impact of these and other systems from the perspective of cost to the taxpayer. the impact on employers. the impact on workers. and the degree of effectiveness. I believe that the fair hiring provisions of this bill are the best approach. One of the most serious immigration problems of particular importance to Florida is the continued arrival of large numbers of undocumented aliens seeking political asylum in the United States. Our refugee laws never envisioned the United States being the country of first asylum. The last 11 months have been particularly trying to the people of my State and especially to Dade County. Of the 125.000 Cubans who began arriving in Key West April 21. 1980. over 86.000 or 72 percent have settled in Florida. Ninety percent of the 11.000 Haitians who arrived between April 21 and December 31 have settled in Florida. Florida continues to be the recipient of large numbers of undocumented aliens. While the figures vary from week to week. Florida has received over 5.000 Haitians since the October 10. 1980. cutoff date for CubanHaitian entrant status. and 500 Haitians arrived during an 8day period in March alone. Undocumented aliens currently arriving are now subject to exclusion hearings that have been occurring at the rate of approximately 10 per day. The very fact that exclusion hearings are moving forward is a victory of sorts for those who have followed with concern the continued legal battles which have literally tied the hands of the Federal Government from enforcing its own laws. The Immigration and National Security Act has several key provisions that will tighten up the asylum process. making it more difficult for some aliens to receive asylum. while protecting the rights of those who truly are political refugees. The changes will also reduce the adjudication burden on the Government. The effect of these provisions will be to return the level of procedural rights for asylum seekers to the same level that is used in other civil immigration proceedings. The alien seeking "entry" will be entitled to the same rights as any other alien seeking entry to our country. no more and no less. The intent will be to create a procedure where large numbers can be processed in a way that will not allow the process to drag on for years. The bill also requires the drafting of a contingency plan to handle large groups of asylum seekers including the establishment of reception centers outside the United States. We have a situation right now in Florida where there just is not any more room to handle large numbers oi undocumented aliens. Incredible as it may seem given the events of the last 11 months. the Federal Government still does not have a contingency plan to place and process large numbers of newly arriving aliens. We have right now in Florida a processing center that is way over capacity. At this center. Krome North. there are approximately 590 aliens. twice the population it should be given the current staffing ability of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Because our drug enforcement efforts have been so successful. the Immigration and Naturalization Service has even had to give up half of its space at the Federal correctional institution. Just where does the Federal Government expect the district director in Miami to place the next boatload or the next planeload of aliens? We absolutely have to have a contingency plan in place. According to a June 1980 Roper poll taken last year. 91 percent of the American people believe that an allout effort should be made to stop illegal immigration. I do not think the people of Florida are surprised by that. In my travels throughout the State the message has come to me loud and clear. Our country must regain control of our immigration policy. The bill being introduced today will go a long way in regaining that control.S