[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 3, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H4542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page H4542]]

  IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 1995--MESSAGE FROM THE 
          PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. NO. 104-68)

  The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message 
from the President of the United States; which was read and, together 
with the accompanying papers, without objection, referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Economic and Educational 
Opportunities, and the Committee on Commerce and ordered to be printed:

To the Congress of the United States:
  I am pleased to transmit today for your immediate consideration and 
enactment the ``Immigration Enforcement Improvements Act of 1995.'' 
This legislative proposal builds on the Administration's FY 1996 Budget 
initiatives and complements the Presidential Memorandum I signed on 
February 7, 1995, which directs heads of executive departments and 
agencies to strengthen control of our borders, increase worksite 
enforcement, improve employment authorization verification, and expand 
the capability of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to 
identify criminal aliens and remove them from the United States. Also 
transmitted is a section-by-section analysis.
  Some of the most significant provisions of this proposal will:
  --Authorize the Attorney General to increase the Border Patrol by no 
    fewer than 700 agents and add sufficient personnel to support those 
    agents for fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998.
  --Authorize the Attorney General to increase the number of border 
    inspectors to a level adequate to assure full staffing.
  --Authorize an Employment Verification Pilot Program to conduct tests 
    of various methods of verifying work authorization status, 
    including using the Social Security Administration and INS 
    databases. The Pilot Program will determine the most cost-
    effective, fraud-resistant, and nondiscriminatory means of removing 
    a significant incentive to illegal immigration--employment in the 
    United States.
  --Reduce the number of documents that may be used for employment 
    authorization.
  --Increase substantially the penalties for alien smuggling, illegal 
    reentry, failure to depart, employer violations, and immigration 
    document fraud.
  --Streamline deportation and exclusion procedures so that the INS can 
    expeditiously remove more criminal aliens from the United States.
  --Allow aliens to be excluded from entering the United States during 
    extraordinary migration situations or when the aliens are arriving 
    on board smuggling vessels. Persons with a credible fear of 
    persecution in their countries of nationality would be allowed to 
    enter the United States to apply for asylum.
  --Expand the use of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt 
    Organizations (RICO) statute to authorize its use to pursue alien 
    smuggling organizations; permit the INS, with judicial 
    authorization, to intercept wire, electronic, and oral 
    communications of persons involved in alien smuggling operations; 
    and make subject to forfeiture all property, both real and 
    personal, used or intended to be used to smuggle aliens.
  --Authorize Federal courts to require criminal aliens to consent to 
    their deportation as a condition of probation.
  --Permit new sanctions to be imposed against countries that refuse to 
    accept the deportation of their nationals from the United States. 
    The proposal will allow the Secretary of State to refuse issuance 
    of all visas to nationals of those countries.
  --Authorize a Border Services User Fee to help add additional 
    inspectors at high volume ports-of-entry. The new inspectors will 
    facilitate legal crossings; prevent entry by illegal aliens; and 
    stop cross-border drug smuggling. (Border States, working with 
    local communities, would decide whether the fee should be imposed 
    in order to improve infrastructure.)
  This legislative proposal, together with my FY 1996 Budget and the 
February 7th Presidential Memorandum, will continue this 
Administration's unprecedented actions to combat illegal immigration 
while facilitating legal immigration. Our comprehensive strategy will 
protect the integrity of our borders and laws without dulling the 
luster of our Nation's proud immigrant heritage.
  I urge the prompt and favorable consideration of this legislative 
proposal by the Congress.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, May 3, 1995.
  

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