Session #104 · 1995–97

Speech #1040192251

Mr. Chairman. the guiding principle in our Nations immigration policy should be to reward controlled legal immigration and dissuade illegal immigration. As an Americanborn son of legal immigrants. I can tell you this bill sends the wrong message. Instead of saying to potential immigrants that if you play by the rules. wait your turn. and follow the law. you will benefit by becoming a permanent resident. we say. were going to treat you just about the same as an illegal immigrant. The cuts in legal immigration hurt family reunification efforts and show the hypocrisy of a Congress that promotes family values. Why does this family friendly Congress want to prohibit the adult sons. daughters. brothers. and sisters of U.S. citizens from entering the country? Legal immigration reinforces family structure. upholds family values. and benefits the Nation. Creating a hardship for U.S. citizens by permanently separating them from their close family members does not promote family values. It disintegrates the fabric of American values and jeopardizes the Nations future. We can fight illegal immigration and preserve familycentered legal immigration by supporting this amendment.
Keywords matched
immigration immigrants illegal immigrant illegal immigration family reunification

Classification

Target group
Sentiment
Positive
Stereotyping
No
Confidence
95%
Model
gemini-2.0-flash
Framing
Family values Legal / procedural

Speaker & context

Speaker
ROBERT MENENDEZ
Party
D
Chamber
H
State
NJ
Gender
M
Date
1996-03-21
Speech ID
1040192251
Paragraph
#0
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