Speech #1090136231

That is an extremely high standard. It is one that would apply only in very limited circumstances. And I say to the Senator. consider for a moment. if you would. that the group of people that would be affected by the KylCornyn amendment are those who are in the United States in undocumented status. who have received final orders of deportation and have not left the United States. I think the Senate took a wise. bipartisan course in saying that even those people should be viewed in some circumstances as deserving of another chancebut in very limited circumstances. Now we are talking about a different class of people in my amendment. These are people who are here legally. They are not undocumented. They are legal permanent residents. Then. because of new changes in the law that this bill would makenot the old standards but new standards in the lawthey might be subject to deportation. And we say. in those cases. where you have people who are here legally. who may be subject to deportation because of changes in the law made by this bill. we will give to the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security "sole and umeviewable" discretion to decide whether there is a humanitarian case for not deporting them. I think it is fair to treat those who are currently here legally at least as well as those who are currently not here legally. The Senators earlier amendment dealt with that class that is here undocumented. and I supported him. I thought it was a very wise and humane thing for him and Senator KYL to do. But I would ask him to consider. Shouldnt those who are here in legal permanent status receive at least as much consideration. if this new law establishes some means by which they could be deported. so in the case where there is extreme hardship to their American immediate family members. the Secretary would have this authority to grant them a waiver? I say to the Senator. we use your identical language. And I did that even though I might have wanted to put it in different words.