Senator Hayakawa. from Senators FEINSTEIN and BOXER. and they are right. The Feds fail and the States pick up the slack. and they are right. it is true. So while the Federal Government can clearly do more to address illegal Immigration. which Is exactly what we will be doing in this session and the next. the Exon amendment doesnotand you must hear this. someone is misfiring on this Informationthis amendment does not require the States to pay more social benefits to illegal aliens than each State currently does pay. This is not some shovel Job anew. It does. in effect. require the States to check the immigration status of applicants prior to granting benefits which involve direct Federal financial benefit or social insurance benefits. The States can use the Systematic Alien Verification of Eligibility Program. called SAVE. It works. It is an excellent program. It was designed specifically to allow the States to check the status of noncitizens prior to giving of benefits. We have the worlds most generous immigration and refugee programs. They are extraordinary. We do our share for legal immigrants and refugees. and they are very good for us. We are a fortunate Nation to have the refugees and the immigrants we do. I get a lot of criticism for setting a figure higher than my colleagues might want. I continue to do that out of my own compassion. But we have no reason to apologize. no reason to feel guilty for any restrictions against illegal aliens. These people are here in knowing violation of our law. It is that simple. What you are finding. and will always find as we go forwardand this will be a session of immigration and asylee reform and immigration and refugee reformwhat you find here are the groups at work-"the groups." I call them "the groups." They are out there and they see their power and influence waning. They have continually asked for so much that now it is very difficult for them to be heard by the American people. Good and fine people flock to our doorstep and we take care of them. Yet. the groupsI have never heard a positive word out of the groups as I have worked to stimulate and increase legal immigration. to close the back door so that we could open the front door. All you ever hear from them is that we are a base. ugly group trying to do in our fellow man and woman. I do not buy that. That is old saw stuff. We have procedures to allow legal immigration and they ought to use them. Those who adhere to our procedures receive the most generous programs in the world. period. This amendment simply provides that this generosity will not be extended to those who violate our immigration laws. What could make better sense than that? I hear clearly what my colleague from Florida has stated and my colleague from California. He would embrace those who he believes cannot qualify for legal immigration. His concerns and the concerns of the Senator from California arise out of compassion for those who are less fortunate. However.
Identified stereotypes
Generalization that 'the groups' (advocating for immigrants) are always negative and demanding.