Speech #1000146228

I would like to make clear what the amendment was not and what it would not do. It is not another legalization program. as those who opposed it in conference suggested. It would not have conferred legal immigration status on anyone who did not qualify for the amnesty program. It would not have allowed anyone to immigrate to this country who is not now here. It would not have given anyone the right to petition for their relatives to immigrate to this country. It would not have affected those currently waiting to immigrate to this country. or put anyone ahead of anyone else within the family preference system. It is specious and meanspirited to focus on "special privileges" being accorded former illegal aliens. when what is meant by "special privileges" is an accommodation to keep immigrant families together. That accommodation was limited to family members of immigrants who have resided continuously in this country for 5 years or more. and was merely a narrowly drawn proposal protecting ineligible family members from deportation. applicable only if they themselves had resided continuously in the country since November 6. 1986. or June 26. 1987. if the qualifying family member were legalized under the special agricultural worker program. Moreover. it applied only if the ineligible family member satisfied many of the requirements of the legalization program. including the admissibility provisions. Compare that limited protection from forced family separations caused by deportation to the special privileges of permanent resident aliens. Amnesty does not confer on illegal immigrants one of the most important privileges of permanent residence. a benefit that is automatically granted to anyone immigrating to this country from abroad. and that is derivative legal status for spouses and children accompanying or "following to join" immigrants. Thus. someone granted an immigrant visa abroad. with no ties to this country whatsoever. could bring in his or her spouse and children as permanent residents immediately. This derivative status does not apply to the person adjusting to legal status while in this country. but those granted permanent resident status under normal channels would be able to petition immediately for their spouses and children to adjust to legal status. The comparable relative of the amnestylegalized person. on the other hand. will have to wait years to even begin the adjustment process. since the legalized person cannot petition for his or her spouse or child until permanent resident status is actually conferred. Moreover. the spouse and child of the legalized person would be far more vulnerable to deportation in the meantime. It is not only with regard to immigration laws that permanent resident aliens are granted privileges denied legalized immigrants and their families. For purposes of Federal benefits. for example. permanent residents are treated almost identically to citizens. Legalized persons. on the contrary. are specifically exempted from receiving many Federal benefits for 5 years after being granted legal status. There can be no question that the socalled amnesty program confers a secondclass immigration status. with far more stringent requirements than those that apply to permanent resident status. I am including copies of the RoyalRodino family unity proposal. letters of support. which were distributed to the conferees. favorable editorials on the issue of family unity. and the Presidents Executive order on the family. issued in September to guide executive departments and agencies in the formulation and implementation of their policies. I ask all of you to review them.