Speech #1030008981

The new card must be presented by an alien not only when seeking employment but also when applying for various welfare and housing benefits. However. the new cards shall not be considered a national identity card and will not be issued to American citizens or nationals. The penalty for immigration fraud would increase from 5 to 10 years imprisonment. plus fines. The Attorney General must complete an ongoing demonstration project to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a computerized callin worker verification system for employers and report findings to the Congress by September 30. 1994. The bill would provide $5 million to provide for the replacement of the identification and registration cards to workeligible aliens. The third bill would prohibit giving any Federal unemployment and welfare benefits. including OASDI and SSI payments. aid to families with dependent children [AFDC]. food stamps. and public housing assistance. to illegal aliens. Clearly. the availability of numerous Federal and State benefits and social services. more generous than programs in their native countries. is a major incentive for aliens to cross our borders illegally. This legislation makes it clear that. to be eligible for such benefits. the immigrant must be someone who is lawfully and permanently residing in the United States. Fourth. the Illegal Alien Transportation Prevention Act of 1993 would add language to current law to prohibit the transportation of illegal aliens for purposes of employment by anyone with the knowledge or reckless disregard of the fact that the alien is in this country in violation of the law and cannot be hired legally. This proposal will help to stop the widespread problem of illegals who congregate In many communities looking for day work. creating congestion and endangering public safety and welfare. and who are picked up and dropped off at various locations by suburban residents and contractors seeking temporary cheap labor. I am pleased that the INS. at my urging. established a task force in my district of agents who target for investigation both Illegal aliens seeking employment and the homeowners and small contractors who routinely hire them. It is my belief that this measure will help to eliminate impromptu job centers for illegal day laborers in many areas and reduce tensions between unemployed legal Immigrants legitimately seeking work and the communities. At the same time. I congratulate those communities who are effectively dealing with this problem and have been able to provide public job centers and other facilities. as well as employment opportunities. for legal immigrant day laborers. without a disruption in the lives and businesses of local citizenry. The fifth bill would provide 2.500 additional agents for the Border Patrol to be recruited from the ranks of active military personnel who are honorably but involuntarily discharged due to defense cutbacks. These persons must be qualified for the position. and must receive inservice training that will educate them to be sensitive to the cultural backgrounds and rights of aliens and citizens. These new border patrol agents will be paid during fiscal year 1994 out of funds transferred from the Defense Department to the Justice Department specifically for this purpose. In the last congress I introduced legislationH.R. 4754to provide for 2.000 additional Border Patrol agents from military personnel who are displaced due to defense reductions. I have raised the number because the problem of policing our borders is much worse and the need for qualified personnel with military training has intensified. In my opinion. veterans with recent military experience. discipline. and skills are well suited for border surveillance duty.