Speech #1030066217

Mr. Chairman. the Baker amendment is a commonsense. straightforward attempt to address two of our Nations most fundamental problems: illegal Immigration and the budget deficit. For too long we have talked about both these subjects without acting on either of them. It does us no good when we discuss policies for these problems and then avoid the practices that would implement them. Congress passes numerous laws regarding legal immigration but turns a blind eye to illegal Immigration. What good does it do to calculate immigration targets. to fix ceilings. and to set requirements if we allow them to be circumvented by millions of illegal aliens? No one amendment Is going to solve these problems. But the Baker amendment Is a step In the right direction. It simply states no organization that knowingly provides services to Illegal aliens may participate In the National Service Program. In order that this requirement not constrain organizations providing emergency services--and so that these services still will be delivered to all who need them. as they always have beenthis amendment merely requires that illegal aliens be reported to the INS. It Is not complicated and it is not cruel. It is common sense. Unless we begin to offset the factors pulling illegal immigrants to the United States. we cannot begin to offset the costs they are delivering to the taxpayers door In everIncreasing bills. All levels of American govemmentFederal. State. and localfind themselves providIng services to illegal Immigrants. The costs are enormous. Nationally. the net direct costs of Illegal immigration for the 5 million illegal aliens In the United States in 1992 were estimated at $6.5 billion. The Indirect costs of Illegal Immigration are no less staggering. American taxpayers not only foot the bills. they foot the jobs too. In 1992. an estimated 900.000 Americans lost Jobs to Illegal Immigrants. When these people left the tax rolls and entered the unemployment rolls. the cost was $6.9 billion. So illegal aliens cost American taxpayers at least $13 billion In 1992 alone. Americans lost their paychecks because Illegal aliens found it so easy to come up with fraudulent work documents. If you dont believe how easy it is to do this. ask the General Accounting Office. In a 1990 GAO report. a review of unlawfully employed aliens found that 99 percent of their registration cards were counterfeit. Over 80 percent of the Social Security cards examined were counterfeit or fraudulent With this combination of enormous cost and extensive fraud. it is no wonder Americans are outraged by illegal Immigration. This amendment is not going to solve all the problems of Illegal Immigration. But neither is inaction. This amendment Is admittedly a small step. but It Is a step in the right direction. We can no longer make grand pronouncements and then avoid the smell steps necessary to Implement them. This Is one of those necessary steps we must make if we are serious about Illegal Immigration. I urge Congress to pass this amendment.