Speech #1050050968

Mr. Speaker. I want to first of all commend the gentleman from California for his brilliant efforts to reform the immigration mess in the country in a fair and equitable way. I think the gentleman from Wisconsin . the chairman. discussed the foundation case that brought the attention and the microscope to this matter: $12.000 in Federal housing assistance went to an undocumented alien. Quite frankly. Mr. Speaker. I think we are hung up on the term in the Congress. We are not talking about immigrants. I do not think there is a person in the Congress that is opposed to immigrants. We are all products of immigrants. We are talking about illegal immigrants. and we are -talking about money for illegal immigrants. And we had better get on with the discussion. because as a Congress we are cutting education. we are cutting welfare. we are cutting food stamps for our own citizens. but yet. through many loopholes. we are providing Federal benefits and millions and millions of dollars to illegal immigrants. This is not going to stop all of that. It certainly does not run rampant over anyones rights. because the constitutional rights were protected by a fine agreement. I believe. made with the gentleman from Wisconsin and the gentleman from Minnesota that made sure that this bill would provide an exception for extreme and unusual hardships. which mirror those that already exist In immigration laws we have recently passed. Mr. Speaker.