[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 46 (Friday, March 29, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E492-E493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            CITIZENSHIP USA

                                 ______


                         HON. LUIS V. GUTIERREZ

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 29, 1996

  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, March 18, 1996, the INS 
announced the Chicago kickoff of Citizenship USA, a major nationwide 
initiative designed to help eligible immigrants become U.S. citizens. 
The goal of this worthwhile initiative is to ensure that by September 
30, 1996, eligible persons who apply for citizenship will become 
citizens within 6 months. In Chicago alone the INS is expected to 
conduct more than 850 interviews each day, 4 days a week. This historic 
announcement was made before a crowd of 1,100 new citizens, 
representing 71 nations, who took the citizenship oath at the Navy pier 
ceremony.
  As a proud participant of the development of this very important 
initiative in Chicago I would like to include in the Congressional 
Record my remarks during the Chicago Citizenship USA kickoff.

                            Citizenship USA

                          (By Luis Gutierrez)

       I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make 
     this day possible and make it such a success, and for giving 
     me the opportunity to be with all of you today. I want to say 
     a particular word of thanks to Mayor Richard Daley. In a time 
     when far too many elected officials across our nation have 
     found that exploiting people's fears and ignorance about the 
     immigrant community can be the road to a few extra votes, our 
     Mayor has demonstrated a consistent commitment to immigrants 
     to our great city.
       Mayor Daley, I thank you for that commitment. And most 
     importantly, I thank all of you who are here before us today, 
     allowing us to share in this very special day of 
     accomplishment for all of you. The elected and appointed 
     officials who are on this podium today have the easy part of 
     the program. We are fortunate enough to be able to 
     congratulate you and share in your success.
       All of you have done the hard part. You have left family 
     and friends in your native country. Overcome barriers of 
     language and culture and custom. Endured the frustrations of 
     government bureaucracy and paperwork and frequent 
     indifference. And weathered the words and policies and 
     efforts of some of us here in America who still, after 220 
     years of our nation growing and thriving because of the 
     contributions of immigrants, who still don't want you in our 
     land.
       And yet, here you are, about to make our country stronger 
     and greater and better by becoming citizens of the United 
     States of America. For your effort, and dedication, and 
     commitment to reaching your dream, I thank you. And today, as 
     you make your dream come true, you are doing more than just 
     taking a big step forward for you and your family. You are 
     sending a message to the people of Chicago, the people of 
     Illinois, the people of America.
       Two days from now, I will go to Washington. And in 
     Washington this week, we are debating H.R. 2202. It's a bill 
     about immigration and naturalization. And the people who 
     wrote that bill are blind to all of you who are here today. 
     They are blind to your hopes and dreams and contributions and 
     efforts to build a better America. And that blindness is 
     reflected in one of the most horribly anti-immigrant bills to 
     be introduced into Congress in our lifetime.
       So we will debate in Washington this week just how many of 
     these types of ceremonies we should really have in our 
     country. The people who wrote that bill say a lot less. I say 
     we should have a lot more. Because when we debate the 
     question, ``what should our immigration policy be,'' we 
     are really asking ourselves something much more important.
       We are asking. ``what king of nation should we be?'' ``What 
     kind of America should we be?'' Should we be the proud, and 
     confident, and vibrant America that has welcomed immigrants 
     from across our globe, and grown better and stronger because 
     of their contributions? Or should we be a small, and fearful, 
     and declining America that shuts our borders and closes our 
     minds and turns our back on people who want nothing more than 
     to help make America great?
       That is the real choice of our immigration debate this 
     week. To listen to the red-hot rhetoric about the dangers of 
     immigration, and about immigrants who are making our

[[Page E493]]

     streets dangerous and taking away jobs and looking for a free 
     ride, you might think that immigrant-bashing is a new 
     invention. But the mindless immigrant-bashing we hear today 
     from the Pete Wilsons and Pat Buchanans of America is as old 
     as the Mayflower.
       Politicians have always been ready to turn real fears and 
     legitimate concerns about crime and health care and jobs into 
     the imaginary belief that it is all the fault of those 
     people--those immigrants, those suspect people who are 
     somehow different from the rest of us.
       Let me read you a quote. You guess who it's about. ``It is 
     hopeless to think of civilizing these new immigrants, or 
     keeping them in order, except by the arm of the law.'' Sounds 
     a lot like the speeches I hear on the floor of the House of 
     Representatives. Or the rhetoric any where Pat Buchanan 
     happens to be campaigning. But the quote is a little less 
     recent, It's from the New York Times. In 1875. And they were 
     writing about Italians.
       Well, the immigrant bashers were wrong about Italians in 
     1875. And they are wrong about the immigrants to America 
     today. Unfortunately, today's immigrant bashers are so busy 
     closing their minds that they close their eyes to the reality 
     of immigration and the contributions of immigrants. They 
     don't see you. They don't see this swearing in. They don't 
     see 1,000 people ready to work and sweat and toil to make 
     their lives better and their families lives better. You are 
     the reality of immigration today.
       I wish the bashers and politicians and fear-mongerers would 
     come to our city, and look at the reality of your faces. 
     Maybe then, instead of closing their minds, they could open 
     their hearts. When friends of mine who don't know Chicago 
     come to town, Like to take them to one of the most vibrant, 
     thriving, successful commercial strips in our city. Do I take 
     them to State Street or Michigan Avenue? No, I take them to 
     26th Street, one of the most successful urban commercial 
     strips in America.
       An area rebuilt almost exclusively by immigrants from 
     Mexico. Because of immigration, 26th Street is not another 
     declining, nearly abandoned urban wasteland. It is an example 
     of our city at its best. And look where we are today.
       At Navy Pier, a historic reminder of a Chicago that has 
     opened its streets and ports and neighborhoods to Swedes and 
     Poles and Irish and Lithuanians and Italians and Germans and 
     every person from every corner of the globe and because we 
     opened our doors instead of closing our minds we live in the 
     greatest city in the world. And now that great city has 1,000 
     more recruits who will open businesses and create jobs and 
     build housing and work and sweat and contribute and stand on 
     the shoulders of our immigrant brothers and sisters and lead 
     Chicago into a new century.
       I ask Mr. Buchanan and every person who wants to build a 
     wall around our nation: Have you looked at the inner-cities 
     being rebuilt by immigrants from Mexico? Have you visited the 
     hospitals where doctors from Asia are healing our sick? Do 
     you care about the new businesses and new jobs and new 
     opportunities that are being created by newcomers to 
     America from across the world?
       In the past, America's answer has been: Yes we see, yes we 
     care, yes we understand. And that must be our answer today. A 
     recent study estimated that immigrants to our country are 
     earning more than $240 billion per year. They are paying more 
     than $90 billion in taxes. And they are collecting only five 
     billion dollars in welfare benefits.
       Almost 20 times more taxes paid than government benefits 
     collected. Those are the facts of our immigrant community. I 
     am honored and proud to serve a Congressional District that 
     is filled with a diverse community of immigrants from 
     throughout the world.
       When I walk down Milwaukee Avenue, I still hear the 
     languages of my neighbors from Mexico to Poland to Ukraine to 
     Korea. Yet, no community is more American. More proud of our 
     nation. This is the true story of the immigrant community.
       I think the immigrant-bashing sweeping across our nation 
     like a plague is a real threat to our future. Our country 
     should remain strong and vibrant and confident. But we cannot 
     do it if we turn our back on people who want to contribute.
       What would Chicago look like today if we had closed our 
     doors before the Irish arrived, or before the Germans 
     arrived, before the Poles arrived? If we were to close our 
     doors today, we will gain nothing, and lose something vital. 
     We would become a broken city of missed opportunities. Of 
     missed economic opportunities, the missed cultural 
     opportunities, of missed opportunities to keep our city 
     growing and thriving changing.
       I see many faces here today that I have seen before. Your 
     came to the workshops sponsored by the 4th Congressional 
     District Citizenship Project. I'm very proud we were able to 
     help you, yet I know that it was you who did the real work. 
     You endured long lines and waits. You endured a backlog at 
     the INS to have your application approved. Many of you 
     studied hard for your test and worked to improve your 
     English. I know it wasn't easy.
       But the work of months will pay off today by beginning a 
     lifetime of opportunity. Immigration is opportunity. All of 
     you now have a greater opportunity for you to benefit from 
     our nation. But America gets an even better deal. Our nation 
     receives the opportunity to benefit from you.
       As I speak on the floor of the House of Representatives 
     this week, as people attack immigration and say we need fewer 
     new American citizens, I will think of all of you today. And 
     I will do my best to spread the word. The word of your 
     dedication and commitment and what it means to our country. 
     The word of how much our nation would lose if we stop having 
     days just like today.
       You've kept your end of the bargain by overcoming the 
     obstacles and becoming citizens. I promise you, I'll do 
     everything I can to make sure our government keeps their end 
     of the deal.
       Thank you again and congratulations to every one of you on 
     your outstanding accomplishment.

                          ____________________