[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 79 (Friday, May 12, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1022-E1023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

                                 ______


                           HON. MARGE ROUKEMA

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 12, 1995
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to last night's 
``48 Hours'' broadcast on CBS regarding immigration.
  If any of us had any doubts about the blight of illegal immigration 
that is plaguing this Nation, they were most certainly set aside by 
last night's well-documented television coverage. This program clearly 
illustrated that our borders are quite obviously no longer under 
control. Instead, immigration is out of control in this country. We are 
already at a point of crisis and the problem grows daily. I cannot 
understand why the American people--the legitimate, legal, native-born 
or legally naturalized American people--are not in revolt over this 
issue. Illegal immigration takes jobs away from Americans, takes 
additional taxes out of American pockets, crowds American schools and 
hospitals, and contributes to the crime that makes Americans afraid to 
walk their own streets. We may not have an all out revolt just yet, but 
I believe that anger over this issue was one of the factor's in last 
fall's election results. We in Congress should take heed because we 
have been derelict in our responsibility on this issue.
  Last night's program cited many examples of the costs of illegal 
immigration. I will repeat but a few of them here:
  Despite all our attempts to be certain that illegal immigrants are 
excluded from employment, there are loopholes in our laws that permit 
U.S. companies to fire American workers and replace them with temporary 
foreign workers. Corporate downsizing is one thing but firing American 
citizens in order to replace them with foreigners willing to work for a 
lower wage is another. I was particularly shocked to learn that a New 
Jersey company, the AIG insurance company in Livingston, has 
participated in this practice.
  For two centuries, our Constitution has guaranteed citizenship to 
anyone born on our soil. But illegal immigrants have found a way 
[[Page E1023]] to abuse this right: Pregnant women cross the border 
into the United States as illegals, give birth to a child and then 
claim the right to immigrate legally based on the citizenship of that 
child. Some 40 percent of children born in California are now born to 
parents who are illegal aliens. This is an outrageous abuse not only of 
our Constitution and legal system, but of the innocence of childhood as 
well. This end-run around the Constitution was not the intent of the 
Founding Fathers and we must find a way to stop it. The birth of these 
children not only circumvents our law, but results in huge medical 
costs for the hospital care of the mothers and their children. These 
costs are not covered by insurance and ultimately drive up the cost of 
insurance premiums for American citizens.
  Education is another issue involving the children of illegal 
immigrants. When illegal aliens are enrolled in public schools, costs 
go up but tax revenue does not--illegal parents don't pay taxes. This 
results in overcrowding of schools and, ultimately, higher taxes for 
tax-paying citizens. In some border communities, as many as 40 percent 
of school enrollments come from illegal aliens.
  Crossing our borders illegally is not the only crime committed by 
some illegal aliens. Thousands turn out to be criminals come to prey on 
American citizens. This not only increases fear and reduces safety, but 
runs up exorbitant costs when these criminals are caught, convicted and 
housed in U.S. prisons.
  The Immigration and Naturalization Service has been hampered by 
incompetence, inefficiency, and indifference. The inability of this 
agency to do its job has become common knowledge, to the point that it 
is not longer a serious deterrent to attempts to illegally enter our 
country. The INS must be improved and we must do our part by ensuring 
that it is adequately staffed and funded and has the legal tools it 
needs to do its job.
  Illegal immigrants may be the lawbreakers in this equation, but U.S. 
employers are often their accomplices, turning a blind eye and deaf ear 
to the issue. Employers have not taken seriously their responsibility 
to determine that would-be workers are, in fact, legal U.S. citizens, 
and to not only reject illegals but report them to the authorities. An 
immigration task force headed by Barbara Jordan recently concluded that 
a national identification card may be the only answer here. Such an 
idea is supported even by a broad spectrum of opinion, liberal to 
conservative.
  These costs of illegal immigration add up very quickly. How can we 
balance the budget or make difficult cuts in worthy programs when this 
illegal activity is allowed to continue unchecked at such expense? As a 
member of the Congressional Task Force on Immigration Reform, I call on 
the House leadership to make this a priority of the House of 104th 
Congress. We must focus the spotlight on this national scandal and see 
that it is ended, not next year, next month or next week or even 
tomorrow but today. There can be no more excuses, no more delays.


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