President. this bill took the decision to legalize certain aliens as a Federal responsibility in which States and localities have no say. If it is in the national interest to legalize these people. then it is up to all Americans to share in the cost. Concentrating the burdens on those States with the heaviest concentration of newly legalized immigrants is not only unfair. but also. I think it is the surest way to engender opposition to the program and to those it is intended to benefit. What my amendment does is to say that costs associated with public assistance that are incurred by the State in existing State programs that are available to any other citizen of that State should be available to those illegal aliens we are legalizing and should be reimbursed at the Federal level. 100 percent. Otherwise. we are transferring back to the States enormous costs for counties. for local municipalities. and for State governments. I do not think it is the intention of this bill to do that.
Keywords matched
immigrants illegal aliens