Speech #1040148315

That adversely affects the job opportunities and wages of the leastadvantaged U.S. workers. Mr. President. the bill I am introducing today contains new and lower limits on immigration. and assigns a "higher priority" to immigrants with skills and other characteristics that are consistent with the needs of the entire Nationrather than primarily the needs or wishes of those abroad who would wish to come to this country. or the fraction of our own population who wish to bring in their relatives or who want to employ foreign workers. Mr. President. in 1990 the level of legal immigration was increased substantially. by 37 percent. This was done partly because Congress and the President believed that the 1986 immigration reform law had instituted workable measures--including sanctions against employers who knowingly employ illegal aliens--that would greatly reduce illegal immigration. Unfortunately. the belief was overly optimistic. As a result. total immigrationlegal plus illegalhad been in excess of 1 million per year. For this reasonand because the American people so clearly want itthe annual level of legal immigration to the United States mustat least for the time beingbe significantly reduced. The bill I am introducing today would reduce the annual level of regular nonrefugee legal immigration from 675.000 to about 540.000. This would include 90.000 employmentrelated immigrants. plus 450.000 family immigrantscomposed of 300.000 of the "nuclear family." that is. spouse and minor children citizens and permanent residents. and 150.000 per year to reduce the backlog of spouses and unmarried minor children of permanent residents who are already eligible to come here. Mr. President.