They are not going to leave the country and go home. Clearly. our Government is not going to go after them. We have neither the resources nor the desire nor the public support for a nationwide search of millions of undocumented aliens. Mr. Chairman. this legalization. recognizes that substantial numbers of il.legal aliens are here to stay and responds realistically and humanely to their plight. At the same time that we act with firmness to deter future illegal entry. we must display compassion in our treatment of those aliens who have become a part of our society. The conferral of legal status on undocumented aliens with years of U.S. residence will permit this population to come out of the shadows and contribute more to our country. In approaching legalization. we have struck an appropriate compromise between the views of those who would eliminate the legalization provisions entirelyand those who would provide lawful permanent resident status to those who only recently entered. Mr. Chairman. legalization is a practical response to the failure of years of Government policy that has allowed this large population to be in our midst. Second. legalization will not encourage illegal immigration in hopes of future amnesties. There was not any reason other than the desire to work that brought these people here in the first place. They did not come here for permanent resident status and citizenship. they came because of the magnet of the job opportunities and the higher standard of living.
Keywords matched
undocumented illegal immigration