Speech #980210728

Another problem with the alienage discrimination is that it applies to all employers employing over three employees. The alienage amendment would overlap with EEOC coverage of employers. Realistically. a noncitizen under this amendment could bring a cause of action against an employer under I&N auspices for alienage discrimination and the same cause of action under EEOC jurisdiction for national origin discrimination. Finally. allowing I&N to have jurisdiction over employers with more than 15 employees directly impacts on EEOC jurisdiction and the title VII statute. Although well intended. the discrimination amendment goes well beyond Its intentions. It imposes on the I&N the additional and redundant powers which should rest in the EEOC. It is for these reasons I must vigorously oppose it. The immigration legislation has already caused substantial concern within some segments of the business community. However. all segments of the business community are concerned with a proposal creating a second EEOC to process cases involving national origin discrimination. and MemJune 11. 1.984 CC bers of Congress should be concerned as well. If some feel that the EEOC only cares about race and sex claims. then steps should be taken to deal with that problem. Such steps. however. should not include creation of still another civil rights agency. We already have EEOC. the Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. title VI enforcement agencies within each Federal department. and State and local fair employment practices commissions. among others. Establishing a new civil rights bureaucracy will not solve the illegal alien problem. For all these reasons. I urge my colleagues to oppose the committee amendment.