Speech #970012595

Mr. Speaker. today I am introducing. along with Mr. COELHO. the Immigration and National Security Act of 1981. a bill which offers a comprehensive approach to one of this countrys most serious problems: the increasing flood of illegal aliens into America. It is now estimated that there are anywhere from 5 to 10 million illegal aliens living in America. many holding jobs. In the last several years the Border Patrol has apprehended over a million illegal aliens per year attempting to enter the country. Since those apprehended usually represent only a fraction of those actually entering. the enormity of the problem is easily discerned. What are the implications of this silent invasion? The problem can be broken down into several areas: In the economic area. illegal immigration clearly exacerbates unemployment. especially among Americas poor. The presence of millions of illegal aliens who will work cheap and work scared is a temptation to many employers who would rather hire illegals than Americans. I reject the argument that American citizens will not accept the jobs illegal aliens will. If there were no illegal alien labor force. working conditions and wages would have to be attractive enough to draw American citizens. Moreover. I believe the huge unemployment rate among Americas poor youth is directly related to their inability to find entrylevel jobs because of competition from millions of illegal aliens. Illegal aliens do not just hold agricultural sector or entrylevel jobs. They are increasingly found in highly paid construction and manufacturing positions. In fact. former Secretary of Labor Ray Marshall states that if the millions of illegal aliens were removed from the work force. the American unemployment rate would drop to 4 percent immediately. Why should American workers have to compete with the worlds poor millions for jobs in their own country? That illustrates another cost of illegal immigration. Every percentage point of unemployment costs the taxpayers billions of dollars in unemployment compensation. food stamps. and other payments. We have also learned recently that illegal aliens increasingly are receiving Government benefits. such as public housing and medical care. In the environmental area. our rate of illegal immigration gives our country the highest rate of population growth of any industrialized nation. We will never have environmental stability in this country as long as our population grows that fast. because the demands on our dwindling supply of open land and natural resources are intensified. Uncontrolled immigration is also a threat to the national security of this country. When Fidel Castro can decide to dump with impunity tens of thousands of undesirables on us. our national sovereignty is violated. Secure borders are an integral part of sovereignty.