Speech #990275418

I rise in strong support of the amendment being offered by my Florida colleague. BUDDY MACKAY. The Federal Government is responsible for border control. We can all agree that. in recent years. the United States has lost control over illegal immigration into this country. One of the grimmest consequences of insufficient Federal efforts is that illegal aliens are increasingly entering this country and selling drugs. The MacKay amendment complements our efforts on the drug bill and gives the Federal Government some of the tools it needs to have a positive effect on both the immigration and drug problems. This amendment requires Federal cooperation in incarcerating Mariels and other illegal aliens who have been convicted of drug crimes and requires that these individuals be deported in an expedited manner. Most important to heavily impacted States like Florida. under this amendment. convicted illegal aliens who are in State and local jails for drug offenses would be transferred to Federal facilities. pending their deportation. We have committed ourselves to a comprehensive fight against drug trafficking overseas and in this country. Granted. it would be preferable to prohibit these individuals from entering the United States in the first place. But if we cant do that. at least let us put into motion the expedited procedures for deporting them. beginning with their transfer from State and local jails into Federal facilities. Some would say that there is insufficient space in our 47 Federal prisons to handle the transfer of any illegal aliens from State and local jails. It is undeniably true that our Nations prisons are already overcrowded. Under the MacKay amendment. if no space could be found in Federal prisons. these aliens could also be transferred to any of the 874 Defense Department facilities which are deemed appropriate for this purpose. Immigration is a Federal responsibility. This House correctly recognizes that the Federal Government has a major role in fighting drugs. So why should taxpayers in Florida and other heavily affected States have the additional financial burden of supporting illegal aliens who have been convicted of selling drugs in their communities? In my judgment. it is logical and equitably that illegal aliens convicted on drug offenses should be transferred out of State and local jails and into available Federal facilities and deported as quickly as possible. I urge my colleagues to take positive action on the immigration front and against drug trafficking by voting for the MacKay amendment.