Speech #1030103684

Mr. Speaker. last week the Subcommittee on International Law. Immigration. and Refugees. which I am honored to chair. approved legislation to reform our asylum system. Moving that bill was a giant step forward in our efforts to deal with Illegal immigration. but much more needs to be done. The flow of undocumented aliens Into the United States must be stemmed. and to that end the promise of employment must be eliminated as an incentive for aliens to enter the United States illegally. Jobs continue to be the prime magnet. Until we eliminate the lure of jobs. we will never come to grips with the problem of illegal immigration. Employer sanctions was a critical part of the 1986 Immigration and Reform and Control Act. and I continue to believe that employer sanctions provide an important tool in our efforts today against illegal immigration. However. it is clear that the employer sanctions program has not lived up to its potential. Some of the weaknesses of the current employer sanctions program that hinder Its effectiveness in preventing illegal Immigration are a lack of enforcement. a vast array of documents that can be proffered by job applicants. and low penalties for violations of the law.