Speech #1020103325

Mr. Speaker. the problem of illegal immigration to the United States has reached crisis proportions. While there is no exact figure on the number of aliens who enter illegally each year and who currently reside in this country. in 1990 alone 1.2 million illegal aliens were apprehended at the border. and the Immigration and Naturalization Service estimates that for every one illegal apprehended by the Border Patrol. another two or three escape arrest. Thus. after several years of apparent decline. the number of arrests of illegals is soaring toward the pre1986 level of 1.8 million a year1986 was the year the Immigration and Naturalization Act was enacted and amnesty was granted to millions of illegals. Though estimates vary. some 200.000 to 300.000 illegal aliens settle permanently in this country each year. Most experts estimate that at least 4 million illegals currently reside in the United States. over onehalf can be found in southern California alone. This resurgent tide of illegal immigrants across our borders is creating severe economic. social. and law enforcement problems in many communities. adding to the welfare and unemployment rolls and straining the already tight budgets of State and local governments. Illegal aliens are using social services at the expense of eligible needy Americansincluding those immigrants and their families who went through the process of entering this country legallyat a very high cost to this countrys taxpayers. For instance. a study by the Center for Immigration Studies has estimated that U.S. taxpayers paid at least S5.4 billion in direct benefits to illegal aliens last year--excluding the costs of such often abused programs as Social Security. Medicare. food stamps. and unemployment compensation. as well as the costs of police. fire. courts. transportation. and other public services. While it is true that those Illegals who find employment pay taxes. their contribution in taxation does not come close to offsetting the costs to government in benefits and services that they utilize. For instance. according to Los Angeles County. during fiscal year 199091 illegal immigrants paid $137.6 million to the county in taxes. but they cost the county $413.8 million in services. a net loss of $276.2 million. Included in that cost is $203.1 million for health care services. $15.2 million for welfare services. and $95.6 million for judicial services. The fact that the Congress has been unwilling to address this problem attests to the widespread ignorance among many Members who simply have not been confronted with demands for reform from angry constituents and for additional funds from exasperated mayors and county officials. Mr. Speaker. the people in my district are understandably upset that their elected officials seem unable to do something about the illegals that have invaded their communities. The State of California is overwhelmed by the burden of added costs of illegal immigration. This is not a racial problem. it is a matter of dollars and cents. And unless the Federal Government either radically changes its immigration policies or comes up with the funds to enable State and local governments to better cope with this problem. I foresee disaster. not merely in greater unemployment. added taxation. the forced cessation of essential services. or all three. but also in the form of a resurgence of xenophobia and antipathy toward all immigrants. legal as well as illegal. I have tried to address the issue of illegal immigration with a series of bills which address various causes and aspects of the problem--inadequate Border Patrol and other Federal resources. documents fraud. lack of Federal enforcement and Insufficient penalties. the need for programs by our neighbors to stop smuggling and harboring of Illegals. the transportation of undocumented day workers. the attraction of generous welfare benefits. and automatic birthright citizenship for illegal aliens. At the same time I strongly support the efforts by this administration to negotiate a North American free trade agreement which should improve the economic conditions in Mexico and create jobs for citizens of both our countries. Mr. Speaker. I wish to call the attention of my colleagues to a recent column by Robert J. Caldwell of the Copley News Service which presents a true picture of the crisis of illegal immigration and states clearly the case for taking immediate remedial action. I hope that all Members of the House will read this item carefully so that there will be a better understanding of what is happening and what is at stake in California. in the border States and throughout many areas of this country. Mr.