Speech #1100048298

The enforcement provisions contained in Title I and Title IT of the new bill will be meaningless unless they are funded. meaning that we actually put the money up for enforcement. and unless the enforcement measures are required to be implemented before other parts of the bill kick in. That was the "trigger" debate we had last year. Senator ISAKSON from Georgia offered a commonsensical approach that we should not give benefits to individuals until we are sure that the immigration system is not continuing to be broken and not working. It would simply require the borders to be secured before the new immigration programs are implemented. But it was rejected on the floor after debate last year 40 to 55 because the leaders who socalled put together that bill last year agreed they would vote against any amendments that had any significant impact on the legislation. So they all got together and voted against a commonsensical trigger. We need such a trigger in this years legislation. Without an enforcement trigger. we are unable to assure the American people that immigration reform in 2007 will be any different from 1986. when the promises of future enforcement. made in exchange for the amnesty given in 1986. never materialized. That is what happened. In 1986. they said there were about 2 million people here illegally. We set up a system to grant them amnesty. We changed some laws to supposedly make the immigration system more lawful in the future. When amnesty was handed out. turned out to be 3 million people were here illegally. We had a big percentage of those who claimed amnesty. and who got itgot it on fraudulent claimswhen they really were not entitled to it. That is the history of immigration reform in 198620 years ago. So we need to make sure. this time. when legislation passes. it will actually work. Isnt that what the American people want of us? Another question we need to ask: How much will this bill increase legal immigration? Last year. the bill would have increased the number of green cardsthat is. permanent resident statusthe United States would issue over the next 20 years to 53 million. That would be 34 million more than the current 18.9 million scheduled to be issued under current law. That was last years bill. It was just about three times the current rate of immigration. Now. I have to tell you.