Speech #980043333

I believe that if the Federal Government makes a law that will result in tremendous safety net costs. then it is only fair for the Federal Government to bear those costs. In addition. I support requiring that the Federal Government pick up the cost of detaining illegal aliens. In Dade County alone. the annual criminal justice costs of detaining illegal aliens is in excess of $6 million. This is a staggering burden on a county government. Foreign policy is the sole responsibility of the Federal Government. State and local governments do not have access to the necessary diplomatic tools or military hardware to conduct affairs of statenor should they. This means that when the Federal Government fails to prevent huge numbers of illegal aliens from entering the United States. the Federal Government must bear the responsibility for that failure. That includes financial responsibility. It is only fair to State and local governments. I am pleased that this immigration bill again includes the muchneeded expedited asylum hearings process as well as employer sanctions. Those who think that Florida is no longer the target of illegal immigrants could not be more wrong. The Immigration and Naturalization Service has estimated that as many as 2.000 persons are smuggled into south Florida each month. Haitians. Dominicans.