Speech #1040196553

Harold Ezell. Warren Leiden. and Bruce Morrison. a former Congressman. That Commission had labored for more than 4 years. holding a very large number of hearings and consultations around the United States of America. and issuing two reports--two reportsone on controlling illegal immigration and one on reforming legal immigration. I have heard some people in the debate and in the country say. "Where did all of these disturbing ideas come from? Where did this issue come from. this discussion about the preference system and this one about chain migration?" and about a verification system. as if it were all some scheme that was presented by some of the fringe elements of American society. Each and every one of the proposals in each and every one of the bills presented has come from or out of the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy or the Jordan Commission. They are not disturbing. they are not sinister. they are real. They come from a group of people that I have just described who I think you could surely say are very mainstream Americans. They are from both sides of the issue. The Commission labored and found that--and I quote-"a properly regulated system of legal immigration is in the national interest of the United States." The Commission also noted. however. that there are negative impacts. It proposed a reductiona reductionin the total level of immigration. That is who is suggesting the reduction. The Jordan Commission strongly recommended that the family immigration visas go to those who are of the highest priority in order to promote a strong and intact "nuclear family." A "nuclear family"-would that we could have a better description than "nuclear family"-but it is the one we think of as the tightknit family. the spouse and minor children. Surely we want to be certain that we unite those people. but that we also have measures adopted to ensure that family reunification does not create financial burdens on the taxpayers of this country. I thoroughly support those findings and recommendations. I have tried to follow them very carefully and very honestly in the legislation that I have sponsored. Regarding the issue of control of illegal immigration. the Commission reportedand I quote: The credibility of immigration policy can be measured by a simple yardstick. people who should get in. do get inpeople who should not get in. are kept outand people who are judged deportable are required to leave. That seems pretty sensible. pretty darn clear. actually. Pretty Jordanlike.