Speech #990274889

During Rules Committee consideration of H.R. 3810. I urged the committee to adopt a rule allowing me to offer a "triggered amnesty" amendment to delay legalization until a Presidential Commission determines that our borders are secure. The provision. similar to one included in the Senate bill. would adopt the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policys recommendation that legalization not proceed until appropriate enforcement mechanisms have been instituted. Despite the fact that the amendment would address many of the concerns which have been raised with regard to the bill. the rule does not provide for its consideration. As you know. I am greatly concerned over the fact we are still a long way from bringing the border situation under control. Last year. the INS located 1.348.749 aliens in this country who were deportable under the Immigration and Nationality Actmillions more escaped detection. The Agency has an average of only one agent on duty for every 9.8 miles along the southern border. Only one out of every two or three illegal aliens who come across the border are apprehended. while onethird of the total apprehensions are repeat offenders. No one knows for certain how many illegal aliens are already in this country. but estimates range between 3.5 and 10 million with more coming in every day. Indeed. we arrested our 1 millionth alien on May 25. In San Diego alone. we are averaging 1 arrest every 35 seconds. The INS estimates it will apprehend 1.8 million illegal aliens this year almost 5.000 per daya 50percent increase over last years record level. During some periods. we have to stop the arrests because our holding areas are full. It is clear that the INS and the border patrol have not been given the resources to address this serious problem. To fail to adopt the select commissions recommendations as part of the immigration reform package will only result in millions of more illegal aliens flooding across our borders and require Congress to confront the need for a second legalization program in the near future. I do not believe that the American people would support another blanket amnesty under these circumstances. Mr.