Speech #1020172975

Mr. Speaker. I wish to bring to the attention of my colleagues an article by Harry Bernstein. labor columnist of the Los Angeles Times. on the subject of illegal immigration. Mr. Bernstein. a columnist of impeccable liberal credentials. discusses the current controversy raging between those like this Member who wish to stop illegal Immigration Into this country and those who dont. He makes a persuasive case against the KennedyHatch bill to abolish employer sanctions. He points out that employers and undocumented aliens are working together to make a mockery out of the 1986 immigration reforms by using phony documents so that employers can claim they have no way of knowing whom they hire. In this way. employers end up exploiting cheap foreign labor In our own country and take away jobs from our own citizens. Bernstein makes the same arguments for taking action that I made when I offered my package of bills. H.R. 3438 through H.R. 3442. House Joint Resolution 357. H.R. 3605. and H.R. 4754. to beef up the Border Patrol. eliminate document fraud. cut off Federal welfare payments to Illegals. and restrict automatic birthright citizenship. "If employers are not allowed to get away with hiring Illegal immigrants who show phony documents." he writes. "foreign workers will be much less tempted to come here Illegally because there will be fewer jobs for them." He calls for cutting off services to illegals "that cost us billions of dollars." such as freo education for illegal alien children. free pregnancy services for illegal alien expectant mothers. and welfare and unemployment benefits. He Inveighs against allowing iho children of illegal alien mothers to become U.S. citizens automatically by virtue of being born here when millions of foreigners patiently wait in line to go through the prescribed legal process of acquiring citizenship. Only by such actions can the 1986 Immigration law succeed. I urge my colleagues to read Mr. Bemsteins thoughtful column. and. if they have not done so. join their 52 colleagues representing 17 States In cosponsoring these eight bils.