Speech #1050082670

Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Included in this continuing resolution is a 3week extension of a temporary provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act known as section 245(i). This provision was snuck into the law 3 years ago. If we do not permit it to expire. it will destroy the integrity of the legal immigration process into the United States and nullify the Illegal Immigration Reform Act that we just passed last year. Three years ago the Democrat leadership engaged in an undemocratic tactic to get this provision into law. At that time I begged the Committee on Rules not to waive points of order against putting into our immigration law section 245(i). or what I called the Kennedy loophole. This provision. establishing a 3year period in which illegal aliens could become legal while staying in the United States. was not considered separately by either House of the Congress. but instead was Inserted during conference negotiations on the Commerce. Justice. and State. the Judiciary. and related agencies appropriations bill. To date. there has only been one time in which either Chamber has voted on this provision. That was when the House adopted my amendment last year to repeal 245(i) a year before it was scheduled to expire on September 30. 1997. Ultimately. the conferees dropped my amendment. which. of course. was the only one that was ever voted on in this House. arguing that the other provisions of the Illegal Immigration Reform Act were being phased in and that 245(i) would expire anyway. I was stunned to learn that the continuing resolution. this continuing resolution. provides for an extension of 245(i). Mr. Speaker. there are several reasons why 245(i) are bad for this country. and our Members should know about this. Number one. it contradicts the Illegal Immigration Reform Act passed last year by inviting people who are illegally in this country to participate in a system that will encourage even more people to come illegally into this country. Mr. Speaker. 245(i) rewards individuals who either snuck across our borders or who overstayed their visas by allowing them to pay $1.000 to the INS and have their status changed from illegal to legal. This Is blatantly unfair to the millions of people around the world who abide by our laws. go through the proper screening process. and they are doing this in their own countries. they are waiting in line there. and wait their turn to become American residents. Mr. Speaker. 245(i) is a slap in the face to these people who are obeying our laws and trying to come here legally. It makes a joke out of our legal immigration system and sends the clear message that if one is abiding by our laws and waiting ones turn in their own country to come here. that person is a fool. Why wait ones turn in ones own country when one can break the laws of the United States. come here and pay $1.000 and basically be moved to the front of the line. Extending 245(i) also raises serious national security questions.