However. I am not assured that we have afforded the necessary civil liberty protections to our minority Americans. S. 1200 relies on the use of employer sanctions as a means to deter the influx of illegal aliens. and I agree that some method of deterrence must be instituted. But I believe that S. 1200 as now written takes this approach in the national interest. at the expense of individual constitutional rights. Having recognized the possibility of discrimination. I believe we have an obligation to these Americans to take action now to minimize that possibility and to provide a reasonable process for redress of grievances that will surely arise. Because of this concern I and several of my colleagues requested of the distinguished chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee a hearing on the issue of employer sanctions and discrimination. I am very pleased that Senator SiMPSON has agreed to a joint hearing on September 18. next Wednesday. however it appears that we will be voting on final passage of S. 1200 without the benefit of that hearing record. Therefore. at a minimum we need to improve what is in S. 1200 and I rise in support and am a cosponsor of Senator HARTs amendment to try and achieve some recourse for those who feel a violation of their rights due to employer sanctions. As a Senator who comes from a State with a 1.950mile border with Mexico. I am well aware of the opportunities and problems this situation creates. The problems are considerable: Air and water pollution. violence. drug trafficking. depressed economic conditions. and what we are trying to address today. immigration control and access. I have serious reservations about the workability of employer sanctions and their unintended impacts. and I believe that we are only beginning to hear about the "weeding out" of illegal aliens by employers. I would hope that this body would give serious thought to supporting Senator HARTS amendment.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration illegal aliens