Speech #1040203858

I yield myself 7 minutes and hope I do not interrupt what all of you have been talking about. Mr. President. let me just suggest that if the American people understood what we have let happen to immigration in the United States with reference to the welfare program. I believe. In spite of their genuine interest in immigration and in letting the mix continue in America. I believe they would come very close to saying. "Stop it all." I am going to tell you why. First. Senator DOMENICI from New Mexico Is not against letting people from all over the world come to our country under an orderly immigration process. How could I be against that? I would not be here if we did not have such a policy at the turn of the century. Both of my parents--not grandparentscame from the country of Italy. In fact. my mother. unknowingly. remained an illegal alien well into the Second World War because the lawyers had told my father that she was a citizen. and she was not because the law E9487 had changed. So I understand all of that. I even witnessed her getting arrested by the immigration people after she had been here 38 years with a family and was a stalwart of the community. because technically a lawyer had told my father she was a citizen. and she was not. I understand how immigrants add to the energizing of this great Nation. I understand how they provide through their gumption and hard work. how they provide very positive things for America. I am not here talking about changing that or denying that.