Speech #1100028125

I would thank the gentleman from Georgia for hosting our report on immigration to the American people tonight from the Congressional Caucus. People have to understand how really. really we have bent over backwards to accommodate people to immigrate to this country. We have about 800.000 people become citizens. We have a million that are allowed to be permanent resident aliens every year. and then we have another millionplus that are allowed to come here to work in the United States. That is almost 3 million people a year that we are accommodating from overseas in one way or the other. And when people say we are a Nation of immigrants. we are a Nation of legal immigrants. but there is a reasonable level of immigration. When the American people realize that we just absolutely have our doors open. there is no excuse for illegal immigration. and we have to make sure that our legal immigration policies are reasonable. I dont think it is much to ask. those of us who are sworn to represent the people of the United States. to make sure that the American immigration policy is for America first and for the immigrant second. We not only have a right. we have a responsibility to make sure that our immigration policy serves the American people. Like every other policy that the Federal Government is initiating. the American people should come first before anyone else. This issue of the cost of just the legal immigration. let me give you one cost that most people dont think about. The cost just in one State of giving birth to the children of illegal aliens in California is $400 million a year. That is $400 million just for giving free birth to the children of illegal aliens. In San Diego County. it is $22 million a year just for birthing babies of people that arent supposed to be in the country. You add that up. the impact on the taxpayers. there is no way in the world I can believe that any man or woman can stand up in this Chamber and say I am for a balanced budget.