Speech #970273218

Now. I must admit that the members of this committee are intelligent. hardworking individuals. that they are well intentioned and that they really believe that this bill is truly a reform bill. Not too long ago. someone asked: "Will this bill stop the illegal flow of aliens coming from Mexico?" I did not hear an answer to that question at all. because the truth of the matter is that it will not. and it will not because this bill. or the drafters of this bill. have not consulted or enlisted the coopera. tion of high officials of the Mexican Government. men who would have the power within that governmental structure to enter into some agreement that would make it possible to stop that flow of illegal aliens to this Nation. We all realize that this is a complex and controversial bill. In fact. this bill Is called the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1982. I want you to listen to the word "reform." There is no reform in this bill whatsoever. The truth of the matter is that the immigration authorities are understaffed. that they have a tremendous backlog. that anyone in this House can go to the city of Los Angeles or Miami or any large city and find every day hundreds of people surrounding that building trying to get service. people who actually could adjust their status. but only three clerks are there to serve their needs. These people come back early the next morning or sleep there that night in order to be the first in line. If you are talking about reform. let us do something about the problems of the immigration authorities. Let us not depend on what was done here on this floor when we were debati:ng an appropriation bill. when the gentleman from Texas had to get up and offer an amendment that placed 100 more agents at the border. Why does it have to be done in an appropriation bill? Why can it not be done by those authorizing committees that have all these fancy hearings? Why can it not be done properly? Well. my friends. the under staffing. the back log of the Department of Immigration while we continue to call a discriminatory piece of legislation a reform bill. Employer sanctions we are told are designed to prevent these people from coming in? The truth of the matter is. that a hungry man Is not going to be deterred from coming to the United States when sanctions are imposed against somebody else. no way.