Speech #980210742

Mr. Chairman. I must voice my concern with the concept of employer sanctions. which would penalize employers who knowingly hire. recruit or refer illegal aliens. The adoption of employer sanctions. in my view. would represent an unprecedented step in shifting the burden of law enforcement. in this case U.S. immigration laws. from the Government to one segment of society. the business community. Moreover. while employer sanctions in theory remove the magnet for Illegal immigrationjobsby penalizing employers who hire illegal aliens. their effect in practice is questionable. In my view. the implementation of employer sanctions without significantly increasing INS enforcement and service personnel will not deter workers from entering the United States illegally nor will it deter employers from hiring illegal aliens. In August 1982 the General Accounting Office report found that employer sanctions would not be an effective means of stemming the flow of aliens entering the United States illegally without substantial enforcement requiring great expense and large personnel increases. neither of which are provided for in H.R. 1510. I believe it would better serve the goal of immigration control to direct the funds that will be necessary for employer sanctions enforcement. estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to be $40 to $50 million annually. to INS to improve its enforcement of the border and of existing immigration law. In conclusion. Mr. Chairman. while I commend my colleagues. Representative RON MAZZOLI and Senator ALAN SIMPSON. as well as members of the Judiciary Committee. for their efforts to overhaul our Nations immigration laws. I cannot support the bill in its present form. The legislation. in my view. will not achieve its intended effect. largely due to its lack of commitment to border enforcement and its amnesty provisions which will encourage even more aliens to enter the United States illegally. I hope that through the amendment process we will develop a coherent and fair immigration policy that upholds American traditions. recognizes economic and social realities. and demonstrates our commitment to securing our borders..