We have met together with the FEMA people. with the Small Business Administration people. Mr. Bowles. with Secretary Cisneros. with Senator KENNEDYS immigration staff. and with the HUDVA Appropriations Subcommittee staff. to draft an amendment which in fact is legal and enforceable and does not create gridlock in the preliminary screening for emergency aid in this particular disaster. And I believe that this amendment accomplishes the task. In essence. this amendment says that temporary aid can be given out for up to 90 days. but after 90 days. the individuals receiving ongoing assistance must be asked by the Federal agencies to provide documentation of their legal status. It is up to the agency to take reasonable steps to determine that 111059 097 VoI. 140 (IN. 2) 0 these persons are lawfully within the United States. I hasten to add that this amendment does not allow an agency or an individual emergency aid provider to select which applicants to investigate because of the shade of their skin. their race. ethnicity. citizenship. national origin. the accent they have. or anything else. Antidiscrimination lawp remain fully in place under this amendment. and an agency official cannot discriminate against or otherwise fail to take reasonable steps to determine the immigration status of all applicants. I want to make that crystal clear. Mr.
Identified stereotypes
Assuming people of a certain race or ethnicity are not citizens.