Speech #1040203045

Mr. President. let me again strongly associate mysell with the comments of the Senator froni Michigan. Although it is suggested that somehow this amendment does not violate the distinction between the illegal and the legal immigration issue. I do not know how else you can say It. It is indisputable that this amendment is not only about people who may at one time be illegal immigrants. But they are legal Immigrants. It Is not about people engaged in any kind of activity that is illegal. I made this point in my earlier remarks. Senator ABRAHAM and I did offer an amendment that was approved in committee for those situations where someone has come here legally and then overstays their visa. We increased the penalties for that. That is appropriately in an illegal immigration bill. But this amendment has nothing to do with that issue at all. It has to do with which family members and which relationships and in what order people should be able to come to this country in a strictly legal context. So I am troubled by the attempt here to. on the one hand. suggest that. of course. we should separate these two Issues and then come right here at the beginning of this bill and offer an amendment that clearly goes over the line. that clearly goes into legal immigration. and to somehow suggest it is just one little amendment. It is not one little amendment. It is a big deal that is going to affect thousands and thousands of families. of people who are acting completely legally. and they are going to be forced Into a bill that is all about the public anger and concern having to do with illegal immigration. I think that paints the issue. That is why I think an overwhelming majority of people in this body. if they are given a simple opportunity to vote. whether they wanted to consider illegal and legal immigration separately would vote to separate the issue. Mr. President. what I am going to suggest. since the amendment came up in this order. is that this is going to be the key vote on whether or not you really think the issues of legal and illegal immigration should be separated. I talked to a number of Senators about this issue. They think it is very clear.