[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 4, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                              [[Page E1]]

                        REFORM IMMIGRATION LAWS

                                 ______


                             HON. BOB STUMP

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 4, 1995
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, today, this first day of the 104th Congress, 
I am introducing a package of three immigration reform bills that 
deserve top priority as the new Congress works to make America a better 
place to live.
  As I am sure many of my colleagues in this body experienced on the 
campaign trail last year, Americans are deeply concerned about 
immigration and its impact on their lives. They are anxious about the 
changing face of this country and the problems associated with our 
system of immigration. I don't blame them. On any given day, there are 
countless news reports about the destructive consequences of our 
dysfunctional immigration policies. But one need not rely on the media 
for an understanding of this issue, as more and more Americans are 
getting firsthand knowledge of the ill-effects of out-of-control 
immigration.
  At the forefront of the immigration debate is illegal immigration. 
After all, many States, including my State of Arizona, have been hard-
pressed to find the resources required to deal with this growing 
problem. They have had to resort to filing suit against the Federal 
Government for reimbursement. And, let us not forget what took place in 
California last November. Through the passage of proposition 187, 
Californians overwhelmingly conveyed a message that they will no longer 
be the victims in the illegal immigration crisis. It is just a matter 
of time before other States follow California's lead.
  These actions prove that the Congress has been negligent in its duty 
to put forth an immigration policy that is fair and responsible and in 
the best interests of the States and the American people. Through 
congressional inaction we have sent a message to other countries that 
our borders are insecure, that we don't have an interest in enforcing 
our laws, and that we have a never ending supply of public assistance 
benefits.
  We must act now to correct this perception. That is why I am 
introducing the Immigration Accountability Act of 1995. This bill goes 
to the heart of the illegal immigration crisis by prohibiting the 
payment of Federal benefits to illegals and ending the practice of 
conferring citizenship on the children of illegal aliens. In addition, 
the bill would strengthen our often-abused asylum system by providing 
for the expeditious processing of meritorious claims and the prompt 
exclusion of those who attempt to defraud the system. Finally, the bill 
calls for a significant increase in the border patrol. By increasing 
our border security and eliminating these compelling illegal 
immigration incentives, I believe we can turn the tide of illegal 
immigration.
  Illegal immigration is a serious problem and I am delighted that many 
Members of the new Congress have expressed their willingness to 
confront it. However, there is another problem that is more complex, 
and just as pressing. I am referring to legal immigration. We are 
currently experiencing unprecedented levels of legal immigrants, 
perhaps 15 million in the 1990's. Through ill-conceived immigration 
laws, we are accommodating people in other countries who wish to live 
here with little regard for those already here, citizens and immigrants 
alike.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to take a break, a temporary pause, from the 
uncontrolled immigration that has resulted in overcrowded schools and 
hospitals, scarce employment, inadequate housing, and a deteriorating 
standard of living. I am proposing, through the Immigration Moratorium 
Act of 1995, that we limit immigration to the spouses and minor 
children of U.S. citizens, legitimate refugees, and those immigrants 
who have been waiting in the immigration backlog for more than 10 
years. This would bring our immigration numbers in line with the 
traditional U.S. average of about 297,000 per year.
  I am convinced that my moratorium bill would yield highly positive 
results. A moratorium would allow us to begin absorbing and 
assimilating the millions of newcomers who have settled here in recent 
years and also give us an opportunity to revamp our misguided and 
outdated policies to suit the realities of today's America. 
Furthermore, an additional benefit of a moratorium is that it would 
free up manpower and resources to deal with illegal immigration.
  I realize that some of my colleagues believe it to be politically 
unpopular to advocate a reduction in legal immigration. However, I 
would like to point out that as immigration levels have risen, so has 
public opinion turned against increased immigration. A CNN/USA Today 
poll found that 76 percent of Americans feel immigration should be 
stopped or reduced until the economy improves. And, all opinion surveys 
show that the sentiment to restore a more modest immigration flow is 
about as strong among noncitizens as among citizens, and among nonwhite 
Americans as among white Americans. I encourage the Members of this 
body to give these statistics serious consideration before abandoning 
the idea of reducing legal immigration.
  The last bill of my immigration reform package, the Immigrant 
Financial Responsibility and Sponsorship Act of 1995, is directed at 
rapidly growing immigrant welfare use. The percentage of immigrants 
below the poverty line is 50 percent higher than that of natives. Even 
more astonishing is that the estimated 1993 public assistance and 
services costs for immigrants was $10.42 billion. At a time when we are 
searching for ways to reform the welfare system in this country it 
would be foolish to let this costly trend continue.
  Under my bill, aliens would be required to demonstrate that they are 
unlikely to become a public charge. If they cannot do so, they will not 
be admitted to the United States unless a suitable sponsor gives a 
proper bond and guarantees financial responsibility for the alien. This 
is a reliable and fair way to ensure that those immigrants who wish to 
come to this country will not wind up on our already-overburdened 
welfare rolls.
  Mr. Speaker, as Members of the U.S. Congress, we have an obligation 
to the American people to restore a sense of fairness and 
responsibility to our immigration laws. I believe that my bills take a 
significant step toward fulfilling that obligation. I urge my 
colleagues to join me.


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