Chairman. I rise today in strong support of the amendment offered by our colleagues from Floridaand in strong disappointment that it has to be offered. To me. it is absolutely reprehensible that this bill contains an attack on immigrants who were lawfully admitted to this country. As the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. I can tell my colleagues that I have seldom seen an issue that has generated so much concern among the Asian Pacific American communities around the country. The rhetoric surrounding this issue has been frightening to many in our community61 percent are immigrants who arrived in this country since 1970 alone. We began to fear where things were heading last year when Proposition 187 was being debated in California. Asian Pacific Americans in California are second to none in our frustration with illegal immigration. Many in the community have waited patiently for years for spouses and children to join them through the legal process. Bu it quickly became clear to us that the rhetoric and the emotion went far beyond the issue of illegal immigration alone. Those who supported Proposition 187 told us repeatedly that legal immigrants had nothing to worry about. But sure enough. here we are today. debating on the floor of the House of Representatives whether taxpaying. lawfully admitted immigrants will be eligible for the services their taxes pay for. Many in our community. particularly those who arrived here fleeing Communist oppression and civil war. are frightened of where this will lead. Already. the rhetoric surrounding this issue has been filled with assertions that we should "take care of Americans first." When did we change the definition of American?
Keywords matched
immigrants illegal immigration