Speech #1000116530

Criminal aliens typically avoid every branch of the criminal justice system of this Nation. They are making a mockery of law enforcement in this country. In 1986 more than 100.000 illegal aliens were arrested for criminal offenses. Only 12.000 of those aliens were deported. and countless numbers returned to our shores with new idenities but the same bad habits. According to a GAO study in March of this year. 1 out of every 10 people arrested in New York City is an illegal alien. 12.300 aliens were arrested in New York City alone in a recent 15month period. A law enforcement officer from Orlando. FL. has testified that illegal aliens who deal crack cocaine have increased by 300 percent in the last year and less than 5 percent of those arrested have been successfully prosecuted. These kind of figures are repeated all over the Nation. With these alarming statistics in mind. I am introducting five bills that will strengthen U.S. immigration law against alien felons. The first bill would require manadatory detention of aliens convicted of aggravated felonies in this country. Aggravated felonies are defined as murder. rape. kidnaping. or attempts at such. and any trafficking of illegal drugs as listed under the Controlled Substances Act. This legislation would impose mandatory detention and deny any voluntary or mandatory parole in the immigration process to these aliens. This bill also would require immigration officials to make cases involving felons high priority in the overall immigration process. The second bill would impose stricter criminal penalties upon aliens who reenter the United States after having been deported. Existing law includes a penalty of up to 2 years in prison and/or a $2.000 fine for any deported alien who reenters the United States. My bill adds two additional tiers of penalties. The second tier would apply to any returning deported alien who had committed a nonaggravated felony: up to 5 years in prison and/or up to a $10.000 fine. The third tier would cover any returning deported alien who had committed an aggravated felony: a mandatory 15 years in prison and up to $20.000 in fines. For the purposes of this bill. and aggravated felony will be murder. rape. kidnaping. or attempts at such. and any trafficking of illegal drugs listed under the Controlled Substances Act. The third bill would make it a criminal offense for an alien to refuse to appear at immigration proceedings. including deportation and exclusion hearings. with penalties up to 5 years in prison and/or a fine of $5.000. By making it a criminal offense to fail to appear at immigration proceedings. aliens are more likely to show up at these hearings. If the alien continues to avoid these proceedings. the INS would have authority to prosecute these aliens on yet another charge. The fourth proposal would impose criminal penalties against those persons who knowingly aid or conspire to assist alien felons in obtaining entry into the United States.