Speech #980217835

Why use 1980 as a cutoff? I feel that there are very strong reasons for choosing 1980 as the cutoff year. First. prior to 1980. there was no official talk of any amnesty program for illegal aliens. However. in 1980. the Select Commission on Immigration Reform. which was charged with the responsibility of studying our immigration problems and making recommendations. began discussing the feasibility of a massive legalization program. The word spread quickly that the United States might be thinking of granting amnesty to illegal aliens. In fact. it was reported that some of the people who entered illegally in south Florida did so because of the socalled amnesty that was about to be conferred. I think it is wrong to reward those who came to this country illegally simply to take advantage of a legalization program. The Lungren amendment would embrace only those who came to the United States previous to the amnesty discussions. Second. one of the major arguments for a legalization program is that the United States is recognizing that many of the illegal aliens who have been residing in this country for several years have built up equity. This. however. is rarely true with illegal aliens who have only been here since 1982. So the equity argument is not valid. Third. we have no real idea of how many aliens we are talking about. Conservative estimates start at 6 million while other estimates range from 8 to 12 million. Imagine the possibility of 12 million illegal aliens residing in this country. And do we have any idea what the impact. financial and otherwise. would be on State and local governments and agencies once these people are free to come forward and apply for this legalization process? Under my amendment. at least 1 million and possibly up to 4 million of the most recently arrived illegal aliens would be disqualified from taking part in the legalization program. Therefore. if you are looking for an amendment which offers a compromise to the broad and overly generous 1982 legalization date in H.R. 1510. I hope you will support the Shaw amendment.