Speech #1040192211

Chairman. I appreciate the hard work and leadership of my colleague from Texas. LAMAR SMITH. and strongly support the provisions In the bill that would stem the flow of illegal aliens that now impose unfair financial burdens on many States. Increasing the number of border patrol agents. improving border barriers. and crack.. Ing down on document fraud are all forceful steps in the right direction. In addition. limiting the number of public benefits available to illegal alienswhile still allowing emergency medical care and school lunches for childrenshould help States reduce the now truly overwhelming costs of providing public benefits for Illegal aliens. But while I agree that Illegal immigration is a problem that must be addressed by Congress. I am not convinced that our legal immigration program needs reform. and I am concerned that our hard working legal Immigrants have been unfairly criticized during debate on this issue. Most Immigrants come to this country In search of a better life for themselves and their families. not to receive a welfare check. The strong work ethic of immigrants has fueled American economic strength throughout our history and will continue to do so. These Immigrants deeply cherish the freedoms and opportunities of their adopted country. having left behind family. friends. and the familiarity of their native land to come here. H.R. 2202 would significantly restrict the admission of parents of U.S. citizens. admit only a small number of adult children. and eliminate the current preference categories for adult children and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. Some say we need to do this because immigrants are more prone to use welfare benefits. Though there are areas of concern. particularly in regard to the elderly immigrant and the refugee populations. welfare use among working age immigrants is about the same as In the nonimmigrant population. Its especially illogical to reduce legal Immigration on the grounds of welfare use. when other parts of the bill will address the matter by strengthening the obligation of sponsors to support immigrants and when our welfare reform bill will reduce access to benefits by limiting the eligibility for benefits of legal aliens and illegal immigrants. You will also hear supporters of restricting legal Immigration say that people enter the country legally with tourist and student visas and then overstay them. This is true and a legitimate problemhowever. it has nothing to do with our family based immigration system. Those who overstay their visas are nonimmigrants. not family sponsored Immigrants. Do we punish family members overseas who are patiently waiting to enter the country through legal methods because this country is not able to adequately track temporary visitors and students who have overstayed their time here? Of course we shouldnt. The provision that pilots a new tracking program to make sure that visitors return to their country of odgin Is far more appropriate. Finally. you will hear that we must limit legal immigration In order to reduce the backlog of familysponsored immigrants now waiting to enter this country. This backlog does exist and does need to be addressed but we do not need to eliminate the visas for the adult children and siblings of U.S. citizens In order to do so. The backlog is due to our onetime Amnesty Program in the 1980s overtime is will be cleared. We do not have to give out extra visas in the name of backlog reduction at the expense of the familysponsored immigrants now on the waiting lists. These are people who have chosen to wait patiently for years In order to come to America through the proper and legal methods. Do we punish them by denying them admittance when their perseverance and values prove that they are just the kind of people who would thrive given the opportunities America has to offer? I met with legal immigrants In my district who have been the best citizens a country could hope forbright. hard working. and raisIng children who will continue in their footsteps. It pains and angers them to know that legal immigrants like themselves might not be able to reunite their families. see their siblings. their parents. or their adult children as their neighbors. Finally. I want to acknowledge a teach in Connecticut named Jean Hill who was recognized In the 1995 Connecticut Celebration of Excellence Program for a lesson she taught In her elementary school class.