Speaker. I rise in very strong support of this rule and the conference report. Immigration has been the most significant critical problem in my State for many. many years. I have worked a lifetime. it seems. on trying to resolve our serious illegal immigration problems. They are affecting southern California and California generally and the Nation generally in very significant ways. In fact. the two bills that I introduced on the first day that I started this session of Congress. the 104th Congress. have been incorporated into this bill. one of which would increase the Border Patrol to 10.000 agents. and the second would deny Federal benefits to illegal aliens. In essence. that was Prop 187 in California. But this bill is not only about protecting our borders from those who are entering here illegally. It is about protecting American taxpayers from being forced to pay for those who are breaking our laws just to be in this country. California alone pays out billions of dollars per year to deal with the problems of illegal immigration. This bill will help to ease this problem by removing the incentives for immigrants to cross our borders illegally. and by reimbursing those States who have to incarcerate illegal immigrant felons. Mr. Speaker. this bill is the culmination of a process that began in California with Prop 187 and continued through the Immigration Task Force called by the speaker. I want to congratulate all those who have worked so hard on it. I particularly want to congratulate LAMA.R SMITH. who has worked to put this bill together.
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Immigration immigrants illegal immigrant illegal immigration Border Patrol illegal aliens