[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 12 (Wednesday, February 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   IMMIGRATION--QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 9, 1994

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert my Washington 
Report for Wednesday, December 1, 1993, into the Congressional Record:

                   Immigration--Questions and Answers

       Though Indiana is far from major points of entry into the 
     country, more and more Hoosiers speak to me of their concern 
     that we have lost control of our borders, and urge that we 
     strictly limit immigration. According to the polls, almost 
     two-thirds of Americans favor new laws to cut back on all 
     immigrants and asylum seekers.
       There is no denying the pain of assimilation, both for 
     immigrants and for native-born Americans who must adapt to 
     different languages, cultures, and backgrounds. Immigration 
     produces about one-third of U.S. population growth, and there 
     is a genuine question of how many people the U.S. can 
     support. Immigration supporters maintain that immigrants add 
     far more to the nation's wealth than they use in resources. 
     Opponents argue that America owes its first duty to its own 
     disadvantaged and unemployed, and that we must not allow more 
     immigrants into the nation than we can absorb.
       Here are my answers to some of the questions about 
     immigration I hear most frequently from Hoosiers:
       Who is permitted to immigrate to the U.S.? The law today 
     recognizes three primary reasons to award immigrant visas: 
     needed job skills, a need to seek refuge from war or 
     political persecution, and kinship to an American citizen or 
     a legal alien. Most immigrants reside in California, Texas, 
     New York, or Florida.
       Who is an illegal immigrant? Aliens who violate immigration 
     law are illegal immigrants. Most illegal immigrants bypass 
     inspection points when entering the country. Some enter the 
     country legally but then violate the terms of their stay. The 
     Constitution grants citizenship to virtually all individuals 
     born in the United States--including those born to illegal 
     immigrants.
       How many immigrants are there? Legal entrance to the United 
     States last year reached 1.1 million. The Census Bureau 
     estimates the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. at 3.3 
     million. In 1992, the Immigration and naturalization Service 
     (INS) apprehended 1.25 million illegal immigrants. Along the 
     Texas-Mexico border, the INS has apprehended about 380,000 
     illegal immigrants so far this year.
       Can illegal immigrants receive public assistance? No. They 
     are prohibited by law from receiving virtually any public 
     assistance, such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children 
     (AFDC, commonly known as welfare), food stamps, public 
     housing, and Medicaid (except in emergencies). U.S.-born 
     children of illegal immigrants may be eligible for AFDC and 
     Medicaid, and a Supreme Court ruling requires public schools 
     to educate children regardless of their immigration status.
       Can illegal immigrants hold a job? No. Employers who hire 
     illegal immigrants are subject to mandatory penalties. But 
     these sanctions have been difficult to enforce and largely 
     ineffective. Furthermore, critics believe that the employer 
     sanctions have led to employment discrimination, particularly 
     against Hispanic Americans. Of course, illegal immigrants may 
     also be punished for holding a job.
       What is political asylum? Individuals are eligible for 
     political asylum if they are unwilling or unable to return to 
     their homeland because of persecution. Asylum has become a 
     popular plea to get into the U.S., and often is a cover for 
     immigration to the U.S. for economic reasons. In 1992, over 
     103,000 asylum cases were filed with the INS, and 37% of the 
     cases decided that year were approved. The INS currently has 
     a backlog of undecided asylum claims totaling over 275,000.
       Upon receiving a request for asylum, the INS makes a 
     preliminary determination about the individual's claim. 
     Because detention space is extremely limited, asylum seekers 
     are usually released until the hearing on their claim, which 
     may be several months later.
       What is the effect of immigration on our economy? Most 
     studies conclude that legal immigration has some overall 
     benefit, Immigrants sometimes take jobs away from native-born 
     Americans, but many Americans have jobs because of the impact 
     of immigrants on the economy. One study calculates that 
     during their first three decades in this country immigrant 
     families typically pay more taxes than their native 
     counterparts and on average contribute about $2,500 a year 
     more in taxes than they obtain in public services. The 
     problem is that most of the taxes immigrants pay go to the 
     federal government while most of immigration's burden falls 
     on state and local governments.
       There are no comprehensive calculations of the costs and 
     benefits of illegal immigration. Many people argue that 
     illegal immigrants take jobs from Americans and strain the 
     public health, education, and criminal justice systems. For 
     example, the estimated cost of illegal immigration to the 
     California government is $2.9 billion annually. Others say 
     that illegal immigrants benefit our economy by taking low-
     wage jobs that no one else will accept and creating new jobs 
     by spending their wages and paying sales taxes.
       What is being done to curb illegal immigration? With 6,000 
     miles of relatively open borders, and a force of under 5,000 
     Border Patrol agents, keeping the illegals out is extremely 
     difficult. Funding for the Border Patrol has increased by 
     more than 100% since 1986. This year, Congress approved $171 
     million for an additional 600 Border Patrol agents, 200 
     border inspectors, increased inspections at foreign airports, 
     and more asylum officers.
       President Clinton has proposed to tighten the asylum 
     process and increase the penalties for smuggling aliens into 
     the country. Others suggest prosecuting smugglers under 
     racketeering laws, or building a fence along the entire 
     border between Mexico and the U.S. The State Department's 
     ability to identify potentially dangerous immigrants overseas 
     and keep them from entering the country clearly needs 
     strengthening. Others want to use U.S. military forces to 
     assist in border enforcement efforts. Some suggest charging a 
     border toll for everyone entering the U.S., or requiring all 
     U.S. citizens to carry a national identification card. 
     Another proposal would amend the Constitution so that 
     children born to illegal immigrants would no longer 
     automatically receive citizenship.
       Outlook: There is broad agreement that in the long run the 
     solution to our immigration problems depends on expanding 
     economic opportunities in the countries from which immigrants 
     come. Immigration policy is both a statement of America's 
     relationship with the rest of the world and a design for the 
     future of the country. Many want to open the door to all who 
     seek new opportunity and hope to escape persecution. Others 
     are concerned that immigration will profoundly change 
     American society. In my view, our immigration policy should 
     be based on self-interest. That means that our borders cannot 
     be open to all, that we decide how many immigrants we are 
     wiling to take in, and then implement effective measures to 
     rebuff unqualified aliens.

                          ____________________