Speech #1040242270

But. Madam Chairman. I want to concentrate on provisions related to immigrants and public assistance. The immigrant provisions in this bil--and. sadly. in the otherwise superior CastleTanner substituteare a disgrace. and an absolute bar to my supporting either bill. The United States Is a nation of immigrants. That is a cliche precisely because it is true. We all have roots beyond the borders of the United States. we all have ancestors. as near as our parents or as remote as our manytimesgreat grandparents. who. willingly or not. came to America. We know that immigrants dont come for public assistance. they come to join family members and to provide a better life for their children. Tey work. they pay taxes. they participate In their schools and churches and communities. and they play by the rules. Why should they be targeted by this bill? Why should fully half the savings in this bill be achieved on the backs of legal immigrants who are in trouble or who wish to better themselves? I can think of only one reason. For the past several years. this country has seen a rising tide of antilmmigrant feeling. whipped up by public officials who find naming scapegoats easier than dealing with the real problems facing their constituents. If the economy turns down. why. it must be immigrants. If schools are crowded. immigrants must be the reason. Crime? Immigrants. Deficits? Immigrants. Strange languages on the subway? Immigrants. The assault is broad and comprehensive. it may begin with legitimate concerns over control of our Nations borders. but it quickly moves to encompass those Immigrants who have done everything we have asked of themand moreto quality for the rights to live here. work and pay taxes. and become Americans. The antiterrorism bill has already made longterm Immigrants with deep roots In Americe suddenly subject to detention and deportation for longago. mostly minor brushes with the law. The immigration billsupposed to deal with control of our borders and enforcement of our employment eligibility laws--included provisions to deny citizens and legal residents the right to reunite their families In America. Both the Immigration bill and this bill would go way beyond enforcing sponsors obligations to support the immigrants they bring to this country. Instead. they would make it Impossible for our society to meet its moral obligetons to help people in trouble. It would also deny immigrants the ability to better themselves through education and training. Funds for bilingual education are slashed. even as some Members of this House would Impose Englishonly policies on govemment Bilingual ballots and voting assistance are under attaok. when even lifelong English speakers think they need law degrees to understand some of the propositions that appear on our ballots. Madam Chairman. one thing that disturbs me very much is that this assault seems to be related to changes in the ethnlcity of many recent immigrants. This suggests that ethnic discrimination is likely to rise. If immigrants are singled out as the class of people who are not worthy of. or entitled to. assistance available to citizens. those who look or sound foreign are at risk of extra scrutiny. You may recall reports that. after proposition 187 passed In Califomia. Hispanics rights to buy a pizza were questioned. People who look like you. Madam Chairman. are unlikely to be asked. but increasingly. people who look like me are being questioned about our immigration status. This Is illegal. undemocratic. unfair. but increasingly real. Madam Chairman.