Speech #1050009231

China. and Brazil fleeing poverty and hunger. Many wait in places like the Philippines. where the average waiting period is as long as 12 to 15 years. There is a need for fair and more efficient immigration policy and a more efficient system. According to a 1996 report released by the Illinois Immigrant Policy Project. immigrants make up 7.1 percent of the total State population. and 49.2 percent of the city of Chicago. fllinois immigrants pay $7.2 billion. or 10.6 percent of the $68 billion of taxes paid by all Illinois residents. The seven taxes included in this estimate are Federal and State income. State and local tax. property. Social Security. and unemployment Insuralce. Additionally. immigrants only use 7 percent of major welfare and education services. The programs included In this estimate include most of the large cash and Inkind welfare programs and the basic education. SSI. AFDC. aid to the aged. blind and disabled. transitional assistance. Medicaid. and K through 12 public education. Thus when the seven major taxes are compared to the five major types of governmental services. immigrants In Illinois actually pay more taxes than services used. They are paying $6.11 for every $1 of services received. Mr. Speaker. these findings reveal that immigrants arc substantial economic contributors. And some 70 percent of immigrants taxes flow to the Federal Government. primarily through Federal income and Social Security taxes. It is a fact that immigrants start new businesses. 18 percent of all new small businesses are started by immigrants. These small businesses account for up to 80 percent of the new jobs available In the United States each year. Now. having stated the facts. I would urge my fellow Members of Congress to take the partisan politics out of the immigration debate. While this issue Is being politicized. there are many constituents in my district who are unable to naturalize and stand to soon lose muchneeded benefits underneath the new welfare reform law. It is my understanding that the last time an oath ceremony was performed was September 30. 1996. Why should immigrants experience longer delays due to the decisions of government bureaucracy? Citizenship USA was enacted with bipartisan support and was a good idea In order to reduce the backlog of some 1 million eligible immigrants who filed in fiscal 1995 to become U.S.citizens. This number is more than triple the number of citizens who filed in recent years. This can be largely contributed to the 1986 amnesty program. the passage of issues like proposition 187 in California. and the threat of losing benefits due to welfare reform. I would like to note that out of the 1.3 million new citizens naturalized under Citizenship USA. only about 71.500 were found to have FBI records. which includes the following categories: INS administrative record. 34.000. misdemeanor but not a felony. 25.000. felony 10.000. Sixtynine percent have stil demonstrated good moral character. 29 percent good moral character may not have been met. further review Is required. Two percent good moral character was not met. represents 168 Individuals. 168 individuals out of the 1.3 million that naturalized under Citizenship USA is only about twotenths of 1 percent. Mr. Speaker. I suggest that this is hardly reason to exploit naturalized citizens as criminals. Prior to the program Citizenship USA. applicants waited 2 to 4 years to become citizens. Given that so many elderly and disabled people were at risk to lose muchneeded benefits due to welfare reform. it Is my opinion that Citizenship USA actually served as a partial solution to some of the negative effects of welfare reform and In response to the criticisms aimed at a high number of these newly naturalized citizens registered to vote. I must ask. Is it not a double standard?