Speech #990084587

I cannot vote for S. 1200 because it has other serious flaws. Under S. 1200. the Legalization Program will not go into effect until up to 3 years after employer sanctions begin. During this period those persons who will be eligible for legalization cannot be hired by employers and may be deported by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Yesterday I offered an amendment to S. 1200 with Senator DECoNcINI and others which would have allowed the narrow class of illegal aliens who will be eligible for legalization to work and to remain in the United States until the Legalization Program begins. That amendment was defeated. Unless we close the gap between employer sanctions and legalization by providing some interim. stopgap protection to persons who are eligible to become temporary residents under the bill. we are creating an inconsistency and a terrible anomaly.