Speech #1040191472

H.R. 2202 is not in the national interest of the United States. It further reinforces the modern conservative tactic for solving the Nations current economic and social woes: Blame the poor. our children. AfricanAmericans. women. and immigrants. H.R. 2202 is an underhanded assault on the foreignbom. in general. This bill would punish those who illegally exploit Americas generosity. along with those who legitimately seek an opportunity in America. By unifying the illegal and legal immigration problem. H.R. 2202 makes the .mistake of lumping everyone together. whether they commit a crime or not. The bill reflects a number of misconceptions that have infiltrated the policy debate on immigration. Unconscionably. H.R. 2202 would reduce the number of legal immigrants by 30 percent. This reduction unreasonably implies that the United States is plagued by an illegal and legal immigration invasion. The number of foreignborn that enters this country each year is 1 million. Of that number. 700.000 are legal immigrants. Currently. the foreignborn represent only 8 percent of the total population as opposed to the period between 1870 and 1920 when nearly 15 percent. or 1 out of every 7 Individuals was foreign born. H.R. 2202 would limit the immigration of people under the Immigration and Naturalization Services [INS] family sponsored category. This bill would restrict entry for parents. adult children. and siblings. In effect. this new policy would impose Americas definition of a family onto the culture of immigrants. Excluding more than 100.000 children. parents. and brothers and sisters from reuniting with family members in this country Is not a profamily policy. It is distressing that the term immigrant has been smeared to connote a terrible meaning. My Republican colleagues have resorted to ignoring the contributions that immigrants have made to this country. Immigrants do not come to America just to hop on the public dole. In fact. according to the Urban Institute. immigrants generate an estimated $25 billion in surplus revenues over what they receive in social services. Furthermore. immigrants create more jobs than they fill by starting new businesses and buying U.S. goods and services. No conclusive data have proven that even illegal immigrants have an adverse effect on job opportunities for native workers. Ironically. the person most likely to be displaced in a job by an Illegal immigrant is another Illegal Immigrant who has resided in this country for some time. Clearly. the United States must address the dangers of Illegal immigration. but. in the interim. legal immigrants should not have to defend their rights. integrity. and culture. In light of the imminent rollback on affirmative action. possible abolishment of the welfare and Medicaid entitlement. and this current unfair immigration reform proposal. I challenge my colleagues to stop this Congress from going down in history as the most vicious and regressive Congress since reconstruction. We must not forget the 1987 Hudson Institutes pioneer study.