Speech #970044443

Mr. President. when informed people talk about the problem of illegal aliens. one of the experts most often referred to is David North. For many years. Mr. North has been steadily digging into this issue and he is constantly publishing scholarly work which also have a practical aspect to them. One of Mr. Norths newest studies. "Government Records." sheds new light on the impact of illegal aliens on our economy. The major contribution of this study is that it shatters an old myth which claims that illegal aliens do not apply for transfer paymentbenefits from the Government--because they fear coming into contact with Government officials. The study shows conclusively that illegal aliens make extensive use of the unemployment insurance system and possibly are heavy users of the welfare system. Of those illegal aliens who were a part of the study. 49 percent had filed and 35 percent had collected unemployment insurance benefits. Furthermore. the report details how Los Angeles County is saving as much as $49 million a year by checking questionable welfare applications through INS. One can reasonably assume that if illegal aliens are using the systems in California. they are also using similar systems in other States where they are concentrated. The North study also covers several other aspects of the illegal alien problem. one of which debunks the myth that illegals stay in the U.S. labor market for very short periods. This study demonstrates that. by controlling the escalating illegal alien problem. we can save millions of dollars in misuse of transfer payments. At the present time. I have the only bill pending in the Senate. S. 776. the Immigration and National Security Act of 1981. which would provide an effective way of stopping the flow of illegal aliens. I believe that the study provides new justification for this bill. The length of the study precludes me from putting it in the RECORD in its entirety.