Speech #970275701

Mr. Chairman. I rise today in support of my amendment offered to restore the ceiling on legal immigration. Since debate did not proceed to the appropriate title. I offer this explanation for the record and thereby. for future consideration. The 1970s became a turning point for U.S. immigration. It became clear that changes must be made in our policies for dealing with the influx of immigrants seeking a better life. Many months have gone into the preparation of the legislation before us tod y. and I commend my colleagues for their diligent and wellintended efforts. However. this bill contains a lethal combination. In addition to providing no cap on legal immigration. we will be opening the doors to millions of illegal aliens under the amnesty provisions in this bill. This amendment will allow us to achieveat the very leastsome control over legal immigration by setting an annual ceiling of 425.000approximately our present level of legal immigration. The American people do not support massive immigration. In repeated public opinion polls. 80 percent of those polled wanted legal admissions reduced below 400.000 per year. No reasonable person involved in immigration reform wants to stop immigration entirely. but we are concerned about the growing resentment of immigrants and immigration. With over 10 million Americans out of workand I know this concerns my colleagues because just the other day the House passed legislation to restrict foreign competition in an attempt to preserve American jobsand with growing Governent deficits. we cannot afford to simply open our doors to all who wish to come here. The demographics and costs of immigration are staggering. According to the 1979 Justice Statistical Yearbook. 270.000 immigrants were admitted that year under our system of preferences for relatives of American citizens. alone. Fully onethird of this number came under the fifth preferencebrothers and sisters of U.S. citizens and their spouses and children. This is. in my view. "chain migration" at its best. Above and beyond the 270.000 legal "relative" immigrants. we admitted 218.000 refugees. Once these immigrants achieve permanent residence. he. she. and their dependents become eligible for all the benefits of U.S. citizenspublic assistance such as food stamps. AFDC. and SSI. Additionally. in 1979 nearly 1.1 million undocumented aliens were apprehended in this country. Conservative estimates show that over 80.000 undocumentedor illegalaliens have entered this country each year since For the sake of argument. I offer findings of several studies: One study found that 29 percent of illegal Dominicans in New York City received welfare. Another study found 18.5 percent of a group of undocumented women in Los Angeles to be receiving welfare. A study of unemployment insurance applications from aliens in Illinois found 46 to 51 percent of them to be illegal. I point to these studies only to emphasize that the costs of immigration have not been sufficiently documented for us to make the sweeping reforms that this legislation proposes. We cannot possibly control the costs of illegal immigration if we cannot put a hold on the costs of legal immigration. At a time when Government programs are being pared. this legislation is a further threat to our social service system. We have three options: First. to increase spending for our social services. second. to reduce services to our most needy citizens. or third. to control immigration. I suggest to my colleagues that this final option is not only the most practical. but in light of growing deficits and unemployment. it is our only option. We must restore the capor ceilingon legal immigration. and I therefore urge your support for this amendment.