Speech #1030071873

Countless numbers of aliens now know that once they arrive at an American port of entry. by simply uttering the words "political asylum." and claiming that they will be killed or persecuted if they are returned home. they are virtually assured an extended stay in the United States. Most are not detained and In the interim some drop out of sight. An important aspect of this legislation is that it would prevent many illegal immigrants from ever reaching U.S. soil. The Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS] would be required to train airline employees in the detection of fraudulent documents. Additionally. INS would be required to establish overseas preinspeotion stations at foreign airports which have send large numbers of asylum seekers with fraudulent documents to the United States. These stations would prevent passengers with forged documents from ever boarding planes headed for the United States. Furthermore. this bill will provide expedited exclusion procedures for aliens who still manage to arrive at ports of entry or elsewhere in the United States with fraudulent or no documentation. Passengers who do not claim a fear of persecution will be returned immediately. Passengers who claim persecution and are determined by an INS asylum officersubject to immediate supervisory reviewnot to have a credible fear of persecution will also be returned immediately. The only type of judicial review authorized for an alien found excludable under the expedited exclusion provisions is a petition for habeas corpus. This legislation also streamlines procedures for considering asylum claims--which by the way are now heard. depending on circumstances. by either INS asylum officers or Justice Department immigration judges. or bothby giving sole authority to conduct asylum hearings to specially trained INS asylum officers. As for immigrants with complete and official documentation. this legislation would place an affirmative obligation on those who claim asylum to come forward and make their intentions known within their first 30 days in the United States. This prevents aliens from using asylum as a defense to deportation unless the alien can demonstrate changed circumstances. Also. many aliens currently fail to appear for asylum hearings and continue to receive immigration benefits. This legislation would prevent this transgression. Moreover Mr.