Speech #1050092538

Justice. State appropriations bill for fiscal year 1998. I support section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The provision allows certain immigrants to have their papers processed here in order to become permanent residents. rather than requiring them to return to their home country. Section 245(i) is available only to people who are already eligible to become permanent residents. that is. those who are sponsored by close family members or by employers who cannot find eligible U.S. workers. and whose "priority date" is current under existing quotas. The provision does not. as alleged. give illegal immigrants the right to live in the United States. Nor does the provision change the order in which a persons claim is adjudicated. There is one single worldwide line for everyone waiting for their immigrant visa. People adjusting status under section 245(i) are screened to make sure that they are barred from obtaining a green card on grounds such as criminal offenses. health problems. becoming a public charge. or other thresholds of inadmissibility. In addition. people applying under section 245(i) must submit fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to verify that they have no disqualifying criminal history in the United States or in their home country. If section 245(i) is not extended. both the Immigration and Naturalization [INS] and the State Department will be adversely impacted by a significant shift in workload. INS will lose personnel and money now earmarked for badly needed apprehension and detention efforts. Section 245(i) generated about $200 million in revenues in fiscal year 1996. of which 80 percent was used for detention.