We passed a bill that was similar in nature to this bill last year. but there are. I believe. improvements in todays bill. Unfortunately. though. the other body did not have the time nor the wisdom to complete action on that bill and take us on our first step in a long journey toward bringing the Immigration and Naturalization Service into the 20th centurywhich is probably appropriate since we are now close upon entering the 21st century. I say that only half facetiously. Mr. Speaker. because I think we have to point out the difficulties that are now attendant with respect to this Service. This is a Service that has been given a duty that is not much thought about until things go wrong. Last year. as we had the freedom flotilla from Florida. as we have had the small flotillas from Haiti. and as we have had the numbers of refugees coming to this country from Southeast Asia. we had our attention focused on this Service. Unfortunately. our focus here in the House seems to be of short duration. and we never seem to get serious about doing those things that must be done. I think this bill is perhaps just a small step forward. but it is a step nonetheless in the direction we must go if we are going to have. first. an immigration policy that is articulable. and. second. an immigration law that is enforceable. At the present time. for many. many reasons. I think we have neither of those two requirements.
Keywords matched
Naturalization Immigration immigration refugees