Speech #980219581

We must aid sensible. well concieved economic development and improve family planning. maternal and child health. and nutrition programs in these nations. We must establish agricultural policies that will aid the rural areas which have witnessed great migration to the cities because economic conditions are so depressed. We must work with the World Bank and other major lending institutions. the United Nations organizations. and our fellow parliamentarians around the globe to formulate coherent. comprehensive policies which will reduce the push factors responsible for massive illegal immigration to the United States. But in the context of this particular piece of legislation. we have an obligation to face the demographic realities. This bill tries to balance conflicts between business owners. with an interest in cheap labor. and organized labor. trying to preserve jobs for Americans in a troubled economy. The bill tries to balance political factions ... with Hispanic groups concerned that the bill will cause discrimination against every HispanicAmerican and elected officials from our border states facing impossible strains on the social welfare. education and housing funds that will be absorbed by a wave of new immigrants. The only area in which balancing has not been achieved is the reality of the demographics. Bear in mind that this suggestion follows the recommendation of the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy. chaired by Father Theodore Hessburgh. The Commission voted unanimously that legalization should begin when and only when appropriate enforcement mechanisms and border controls have been instituted. I quote from the Commissions report. "U.S. Immigration Policy and the National Interest": The Commission believes that a legalization program is a necessary part of enforcement. but it does not believe that the United States should begin the process of legalization until new enforcement measures have been instituted to make it clear that the United States is determined to curtail new flows of undocumented/illegal aliens. Without more effective enforcement than the United States has had in the past. legalization could serve as a stimulus to further illegal entry. The Select Commission is opposed to any program that could precipitate such movement.