Speech #1040176894

Florida. much like California. Texas. and Arizona. has a similar problem. It is simply insane to remove agents from a State like Florida which continues to be strained by illegal immigration. insane. Ironically. the day after the announcement to detail Florida agents. the Center for Immigration Studies released..a new report stating that Florida remains the third largest recipient of illegal immigrants. with one of nine illegal immigrants in the United States residing in Florida. In fact. the report suggests that the illegal immigrant population in our State could be as high as 450.000 today. The State of Florida estimates that in 1993 alone. State and local governments have spent around $884 million on undocumented aliens. In addition. there are approximately 5.504 criminal aliens in State correction facilities on any given day. costing Florida taxpayers on average $14.000 per inmate annually. 5.504 illegals in our State prison system. 5.504 beds that could be made available for rapists. murderers. and drug dealers. The INS decision to cut Florida Border Patrol agents further erodes our already limited resources and threatens the security of our borders. In fact. by INS taking eight agents out of Florida. they have in fact said "Welcome. one and all. Come to the State. because we are no longer enforcing the laws of this land." The action sends the wrong message to illegal immigrants. and it is simply not in the best interests of the State of Florida nor of the United States of America. If. Mr.