Speech #1090119907

The current amendment creates a new conditional nonimmigrant status valid for 72 months. That is step 1. a temporary status. Much has been made under the committee proposal about the hurdles that those who are currently in violation of our immigration laws but are nevertheless here in the United States will have to achieve in order to obtain a green card which then. of course. is a pass to citizenship. It is described by critics as a difficult process because illegal aliens will have to learn citizenship skills. pay a fee. pay back taxes. and continue working here in the United States. But as the chart shows. the 1986 amnesty also required applicants to learn basic citizenship skills. including understanding ordinary English and history of the Government of the United States and to pay a fee. But the most important point beyond the similarity of the amnesty in 1986. which everyone agrees was amnesty. the most important point is that we all can see that the amnesty in 1986 did not work and was a complete and total failure. All you have to do is look at the fact that about 3 million people who have come into the country in violation of our immigration laws benefited from that 1986 amnesty. Here we are 20 years later and we are not talking about 3 million people. we are talking about 12 million people. and maybe more. That is part of the reason some people regard amnesty as a magnet that will attract further illegal immigration across our border and only to have us agree to another amnesty and then meet the next wave of people coming across our border who have perhaps a future amnesty. Some people are very upset with the Federal Government and its failure to enforce our laws and to secure our borders. But the American people are a very forgiving people. I think if they believed that Congress is actually trying to solve this problem. as I believe we are. they will perhaps forgive us for not having secured our border before. made sure we had enforceable worksite verification and employer sanctions for those who hired people in violation of our immigration laws. But there is one thing the American people wont forgive. that is. if we try to trick them again by trying to sell them an amnesty in 2006 when they know good and well that the amnesty in 1986 was a complete and total failure. I am earnestly interested in finding a solution to this problem.