Speaker. this legislation represents a major revision to a previous measure which I introduced last year. This earlier measure. H.R. 1306. was the subject of hearings before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees. and International Law on In response to comments from the Department of Defense. the Department of State. and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. we have revised the original legislation to narrow its focus and make it more responsive to the bills original intent. The revised legislation will not provide for any new immigration into the United States. Rather. it will apply only to existing aliens currently residing here without legal status. provided they can show U.S. residency prior to the date of the bills enactment. Many of these aliens live and work in conditions of servitude. as part of an underground economy that benefits no one. It makes sense for us to help resolve the problems with undocu.nented aliens while at the same time alleviating the manpower shortage facing National Guard units in the Northeast. Historically. U.S. immigrants have earned a distinguished record of service in defense of our Nation. in fact. 143.000 such aliens were naturalized under similar provisions enacted during World War II. This measure provides new authority to enlist a nonU.S. citizen in any army or Air National Guard unit where that units strength is below 90 percent of the authorized strength level. Under this proposal. the attorney general can provide temporary residence status to any alien accepted for enlistment in the National Guard provided that alien has no criminal record and was present in the United States prior to the enactment of this legislation.
Keywords matched
Refugees Immigration naturalized Naturalization immigration immigrants