Speech #970025843

Mr. Speaker. recent waves of refugees have thrust long neglected immigration issues into public view. Less dramatic. but more significant than refugees entering legally through the "front door." is the steady tide of illegal immigrants flooding in through the "back door." Finally. congressional attention is being given to this growing problem. and I would like to commend Congressman MAZZOLI and Senator SIMPSON for their efforts in chairing joint hearings on immigration problems. Our leaky borders. and the forces behind the surge in illegal immigration. are also the subject of an article by Lance Gay of the Washington Star. I would like to call the attention of my colleagues to this article (reprinted below). and to the others in Mr. Gays excellent series on immigration. It is clear that immigrationespecially illegal immigrationis out of control. Not only does this make a mockery of our immigration laws. but the millions of illegal aliens now in the United States compete with our poor and unemployed for jobs. housing. and social services. Since it is out of the question to build the equivalent of a Berlin Wall along the thousands. of miles of our borders. we are left with the question of how to halt the flow of illegal aliens into the United States. In the 95th Congress I first introduced legislation which I believe goes to the heart of the issuethe employment of undocumented workers. There is a growing consensus that employment is the magnet that draws foreigners to this country. Without the prospect of American jobs. which are now readily available to the undocumented worker. most aliens would never contemplate leaving their homes. families and countrymen for an uncertain fate in the United States. Until this attraction is removed. our efforts to stem the flow will fail. The legislation I have reintroduced parallels closely the recommendations of the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy and strikes at the employment issue in a simple and effective manner. The measure includes penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens. However. it is unfair and unreasonble to penalize employers for such practices if they do not have a simple way of knowing who is legally employable and who is not. Clearly. there is a need for a simple and secure system of employment verification.