Speech #1100067487

Let me mention one other glaring loophole that I talked about a little yesterday. This was a provision that requires a 24hour background check for someone who applies for legal status. But failing that. the default position is they get a probationary Z visa. In other words. we put a provision in here that says: If the background check cant be completed in 24 hoursand it cant. I promise youthat the applicant will be automatically granted legal status on a probationary basis. I am concerned particularly because what that does is not only gives them an ability to obtain a probationary Z visa or legal status. the White House has said: Oh. dont worry about it. If we cannot get the background check done In 24 hours. and we find out they are disqualified because they do not pass a background check. we will send someone out to pick them up. Do you know how many absconders there are in the United States who are under lawful orders of deportation and have simply gone underground and the Department of Homeland Security. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has failed to pick them up and to execute the lawful orders of our courts? There are 623.000 absconders who meet that definition. Are we supposed to believe that people who fail the background check for this probationary Z visa are now going to be picked up. when 623.000 people who have defied lawful court orders. who are on the lam. who have gone underground and whom the Department of Homeland Security has failed to pick up and deport. according to the lawful orders of a court. that now all of a sudden the policy has changed? Trust us. Trust us. Well. I tell you what. the American people do not trust the Federal Government. particularly in this area. I hesitate to say it. but it is with good cause. based on hard experience. based on overpromising and underdelivering when it comes to our immigration program. I support increasing legal immigration. looking at how to recruit the best and the brightest and allowing them to come here. particularly if they come to our universities and study at our worldclass universities and stay. so we do not have to send them home and so they end up competing with us and taking jobs overseas. I support comprehensive immigration reform. But I do not support promising the American people that. oh. yeah. trust us this time. we are serious. when there are such obvious flaws in the underlying legislation. that we are being prohibited by this railroad of a process from being able to offer amendments. to get votes on those amendments. to be able to fix the underlying bill. I can see why the American people would be skeptical. because I am skeptical.