Speech #1030021542

Mr. President. I rise today to introduce legislation to address a very serious immigration problem at our Nations international ports of entry. Because of the loopholes that exist in current immigration law. large numbers of illegal aliens are entering the United States at our major points of entry. claiming asylum and then disappearing into the interior of our country. The problem is particularly acute in international airports. During fiscal year 1991. the latest year for which we have figures. approximately 37.000 aliens sought illegal entry. either with fraudulent documents or no documents. These aliens have discovered a certainty. Given our Governments limited detention space. they will likely be paroled into the community at large with a work permitwhich. of course. is the most valuable of documentsif they can simply indicate a desire to apply for asylum in the United States. Although these aliens are directed by the Immigration Service to return on a particular date to pursue an asylum application. the majority simply fail to do so. At New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport for the last 6 months of 1991. 1.855 out of 3.100 aliens who were paroledthat means allowed to enter the country temporarilyfailed to appear for any hearing on their claim of asylum status. The problem is a growing one. The Immigration Service has advised us that asylum cases at JFK this year are 300 percent above the number in The amendment we offer today would address this problem while at the same time preserving and protecting the rights of those aliens who present legitimate. goodfaith applications for asylum. This amendment provides that any alien who uses a fraudulent document to enter the United States or who uses a document to board an airplane overseas but fails to present that document upon arrival in the United States would be subject to an immediate order of exclusion by an immigration officer. What is happening is that persons will board the aircraft with documents. arrive at the port of entry and say. "I have no documents." Some have actually ingested their documents. Some have flushed them. literally.