Speech #990278947

I believe it is a good bill which deserves our strong support. As My colleagues know. this legislation has been pending before us for three consecutive Congresses. As a member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration I have been intimately involved in the evolution of this legislation. I would like to express my deep appreciation to all my colleagues who have devoted so much time and effort to this legislation. I think many of us who have worked on this bill. especially in the past Few weeks. have felt that there is a growing consensus on the need for immigration reform. This belief has kept us working toward a compromise even when the bill appeared doomed after the rule was defeated on the House floor 2 weeks ago. I think my colleagues will agree with me that this kind of immigration reform bill comes none too soon for this country. As has been stated many times before. apprehensions along our southern borders have shot up dramatically in the first several months of 1986. as compared to 1985. As of September 30 of this year. the Immigration Service has apprehended 1.8 million undocumented aliens. This is almost double the amount apprehended in all of 1980. when the number of apprehensions was approximately 900.000 undocumented aliens. The public perception that immigration is out of control is. unfortunately. a correct perception. No legislation before this Congress is of higher priority. I am hopeful that enactment of this legislation will help us regain control of our borders and avoid a future repressive public reaction that will fail to distinguish lawful immigrants and refugees from illegal aliens. The American people in the face of an illegal immigration crisis should not lose sight of the fact that immigrants have been a great source of this countrys strength. and refugees have made an immense contribution to our society. But in recent years. huge numbers of illegal aliens rushing past our borders may have started to blur that understanding. Mr. Speaker. I believe the conference report before us today contains the essential provisions needed for comprehensive immigration reform. Most of us who have been intimately involved in the debate are firmly convinced that employer sanctions and legalization provisions in this bill are necessarily intertwined. In addition. this legislation contains a needed temporary foreign worker program for agriculture that is regulated to protect the rights of American workers as well as those who participate in the program.