Speech #1090136016

Mr. President. currently. 10 to 12 million workers are in this country illegally living in the shadows. Of those. approximately 24 percent or 2.5 to 3 million undocumented immigrants are living in California. Many of these people are longtime residents. hard workers. and with Americanborn children. They are the parents of children in your school. They are members of your community whom you know and respect. Any comprehensive immigration reform bill must address the plight of undocumented workers currently in the country. Unfortunately. the current provision in the bill is not rational and could leave millions of individuals without relief and forced to hide. Under the threetier process created by the HagelMartinez compromise. undocumented immigrants here less than 2 years are subject to deportation. and those here from 2 to 5 years must return to their country and seek reentry under a guest/worker program. It is estimated that these tiers would apply to nearly 5 million peoplethat means approximately a million residents of California would either face voluntary departure or deportation. Families would be broken apart and industries disrupted as workers are forced to leave or go into hiding. California cannot afford and most of its residents do not support the convoluted HagelMartinez approach. That is why I was pleased that my colleague. Senator FEINSTEIN. has proposed a much more practical and humane approach in her orange card program. Under the program. all undocumented immigrants who are in the United Stats as of January 1. 2006. would be eligible to get on a path to legality. They would be required to pass criminal and national security background checks. demonstrate an understanding of English and U.S. history and Government. have paid their back taxes and pay a $2.000 fine. Moreover. orange card holders would have a continuing obligation to work. pay their taxes. and not to engage in criminal activity. The Feinstein orange card program establishes a realistic approach to dealing with the 10 to 12 million undocumented workers currently in the country. In conjunction with her AgJOBS amendment. Senator FEINSTEIN has addressed two of the most important aspects of the comprehensive immigration reform bill. I urge my colleagues to vote for the Feinstein amendment. It is a workable solution to a difficult problem.