Speech #1040190958

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express my deep concern over the serious implications of the Immigration Act of 1995. We must all be concerned that the steps that are taken to address legal and undocumented immigration are reflective of the civil liberties and protections implicit in our democratic system of government and treasured by all Americans. As a native Chicagoan. I have personally witnessed the immense contributions that immigrants from immigrants from Ireland. Eastern Europe. Central and South America. and Africa have made to enrich our social fabric and economic vitality. Unfortunately. today we are faced with a measure that unfairly capitalizes on public fears about illegal immigration in order to reduce the number of people who join our society. driving a wedge between those U.S. citizens who merely seek to be reunited with their family members. Attempting to resolve both legal and illegal immigration policies simultaneously serves only to convolute these issues of significant social import. For these reasons. Congress should instead pursue separate consideration of legal and undocumented immigration as has been recommended by many of our colleagues in this and the other body. I am equally concerned about draconian attempts to deny education to undocumented children. The Supreme Court. in Plyler versus Doe held that children born on U.S. soil are entitled to 14th amendment protections. By barring children from the classroom. we will not only be preventing a lifetime of potential. but also. we will be working to deny them equal protection under the law. Punishing children on the basis of their parents immigration status is not only unfair and meanspirited. but its effects will no doubt negatively reverberate throughout our communities. Mr. Speaker.