Speech #1040201732

One concern I have with the bill relates to the authorization of a 14mile triple fence for the 14 miles eastward of the Pacific Ocean in San Diego. Let me be clear about one thing: I support fencing and reinforcement of physical barriers along the border. But when the Border Patrol itself says these provisions would endanger the physical safety of their personnel. I think we should defer to their expertise. Along with the INS. the Border Patrol points to the tactical and logistical problems of a contiguous triple fence. They also raise concerns about alien smugglers taking advantage of the triple fence configuration to ambush Border Patrol agents. That is why I am cosponsoring an amendment with Senator FENSTEIN to put the $12 million authorized for the triple fence toward needed border Infrastructure improvementsincluding construction of allweather roads. lowlight television systems. lighting. sensors. and multiple fencing where it makes sense to do so. Title II of the bill addresses immigrant--legal and illegaluse of public benefits. Illegal immigrants are largely ineligible for public welfare benefits. Where they are eligible. I support full Federal reimbursement for any resulting costs to States and localities. The bill sets out the general prohibition barring illegal immigrants from receiving public benefits but exempts a limited number of services. In fiscal year 1994. the General Accounting Office estimated that the cost of providing elementary and secondary education. emergency Medicaid. and incarceration of alien felons was $2.35 billion for my State of California. Immigration is a Federal responsibility. However. until this administration. California had not received any reimbursement for Its costs resulting from illegal Immigration. Today. California Is receiving reimbursement for its costs of Incarcerating criminal aliens under the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. And while the crime bill authorized $1.7 billion to reimburse these costs. California has yet to receive full repayment. I want to commend the chairman for including an authorization to fully reimburse States and localities for emergency medical services provided to illegal immigrants. Right now. the Federal Government pays half of this cost and the remainder is borne by the State. In California. this amounted to a cost for California of $395 million in fiscal year 1994. I strongly support reimbursement for these costs. With respect to benefits for legal immigrants. I support strengthening the responsibility of sponsors. That is why I agree we must make affidavits of support signed by sponsors legally enforceable. Individuals who want to sponsor a family member must not shirk their responsibilities to the immigrant once they arrive. By making the affidavits legally enforceable. the agency providing assistance to a needy legal immigrant has the ability to be repaid for their costs. This approach makes sense. As a final note. Mr. President. I want to briefly discuss the importance of naturalization. Naturalizationthe process by which a legal immigrant is granted the full rights and responsibilities of citizenshiprepresents the final step in a journey toward the American dream. a journey played by the rules. The latest surge in naturalization applications submitted is nowhere more evident than in California. In fiscal year 1995. over 380.000 eligible legal immigrants applied to naturalize in California. This is a 500 percent increase over the totals for fiscal year 1991. I am pleased that we now have a leader at INS who is doing something about it. Under Commissioner Doris Meissner. INS has been actively attempting to meet the latest surge in naturalization through its initiative. Citizenship USA. I commend Commissioner Meissner for the agencys efforts to put the "N" back In INS. However. an immigrant who has already waited for at least 5 years to become eligible to naturalize can wait for an additional 12 to 16 months in cities like San Francisco and San Jose. CA. for their application to be processed because of enormous increaseL in demand. We owe It to those who patiently follow the rules to do better.