Speech #1040192290

Chairman. I rise in support of the BrownbackChryslerBerman amendment. As one of the few first generation legal immigrants in Congress. I am offended by the merging of the initiatives to combat illegal aliens with legal immigration reform. While I strongly support legislative efforts to both eliminate Illegal immigration and substantially reform legal immigration. there is a significant difference between these two issues. Illegal aliens have knowingly and willingly violated the law by entering the United States without permission. They defraud the taxpayer. On the contrary. legal immigrants have patiently waited. paid all the requisite fees and deposits. and followed all the rules and regulations for resettling in the United States. They will soon be proud. patriotic citizens. They dutifully pay their fair share of taxes. They join current citizens in totally opposing illegal aliens and their criminal actions. Thus. to consider the status of these two. totally opposite groups In the same bill is both unfair and an insult to legal immigrants. The Brownback amendment gives this House the opportunity to deal with Illegal and legal Immigration Issues separatelyas they should be. Without reservation. I strongly endorse the tough. antiillegal Immigration provisions in H.R. 2202. As a member of the Republican Task Force on Immigration Reform. I helped craft some of these very provisions and I am committed to enacting them Into law and enforcing them in the field. Mr. Chairman. we have the votes to pass these important barriers to Illegal Immigration and thereby help stem the tide of illegal Immigration that is engulfing my State of California. Lets do it now. The BrownbackChrysler amendment does not affect In any way our antiillegal alien initiatives. Furthermore. I disagree and challenge the validity of the claims by critics of the BrownbackChrysler amendment that It is nothing more than a back door attempt to scuttle legal immigration reform. From my perspective. it is not. I agree fully with Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Smith that our countrys legal immigration system and priorities are In desperate need of reform. And. while I do not agree with every. single legal Immigrantrelated provision In H.R. 2202. overall I support the bills priority for Immediate family unification and I understand the need to slow down the current rate of Immigration by reducing the number of annual visas. I am ready and willing to consider and pass comprehensive legal reform legislation today. It is needed. But. I again stress. that we should deal with legal immigration Independently of legislation combating illegal aliens so as to ensure that these two very different Issues are not confused. The BrownbackChrysler amendment affords us this opportunity and I urge its passage.