Speech #1000155052

I introduced legislation to reimburse the State of Florida for more than $148 million in expenses resulting from the Cuban and Haitian boatlifts in 1980 and 1981. These local costs for social. medical. and educational services. continue to mount without reimbursement from the Federal Government. I am not opposed to the recent normalization of immigration relations with Cuba. But Florida cannot stand still and let what happened after the previous boatlifts happen again. The Immigration and Naturalization Service has not shown it can adequately monitor and screen the thousands of immigrants pouring into Florida each year. So. how are we to expect the INS to properly screen 23.000 additional immigrants who will come as a result of the renewal of immigration relations with Cuba? This is not a question of whether or not Cubans should be allowed to come to America. The question is how are we going to manage renewed relations with Cuba without unfairly draining the resources of State and local governments.