Speech #1030109543

California. and Illinois. But I want to say to my friend that if I were going to give a title to his amendment it really would be a punishtheStates amendment. Why do we have this problem in California. the problem of illegal immigration? We have it because the Federal Government has not been able to control its borders. Senator FEINSTEIN and I have put forward proposals and some of them are moving forward. My proposal. for example. to beef up the Border Patrol by having the National Guard relieve them from their administrative duties so they can get on the line is moving forward with the help of Senator INOUYE. Senator FEINSTEIN has worked to increase the number of Border Patrol personnel and got there because of the help of Senator GRAMM and members of the Appropriations Committee. I say to my friend that we are trying very hard to get a handle on illegal immigration. But it seems to me. and I would like my friend to hear this. the height of cruelty to say to States that are having problems because of undocumented workers that the Federal Government now is going to close you off for reimbursements. for emergency health. for Head Start funding. for public health. And I further say to my friend the reason I think it is the height of cruelty is that it is the Federal Government which has failed. which has failed to control the borders. We have had fair immigration laws. but we have not enforced the borders. Now with this amendment we say to the States. you know. you are on your own. I would add my voice to others. Perhaps the Senator would be willing to look at this amendment a little further. I think there are some areas on which we can have broad agreement. But it seems to me that for the Federal Government. which has not enforced the borders. to now say we are turning our back on the problem. and as Senator MOSELEYBRAUN pointed out. we can have the case of an undocumented worker who is harboring tuberculosis and other communicable diseases. And because we cannot get enough reimbursement from the Federal Government for health care. that individuai spreads into the entire population. It seems to me that is harmful rather than helpful.