[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 23 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HITS JACKPOT

  (Mr. PACKARD asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss an issue which has raised 
both the anger of my constituents and now the eyebrows of many of my 
colleagues who thought that we had finally put an end to the handing 
out of benefits to illegal aliens with last year's immigration and 
welfare reform bills.
  I am talking about an illegal immigrant who hit the jackpot of the 
U.S. Treasury. The San Diego Union reported that an undocumented woman 
residing in my hometown received $12,000 in taxpayer funds to move out 
of her apartment complex to make way for a HUD project. Legal residents 
in that same project received displacement costs of $400, but the 
illegal alien gets $12,000.
  Mr. Speaker, this is not only crazy; it is unbelievable and since 
every Federal agency must comply with the Uniform Relocation Act, who 
knows how often this is happening. Clearly, Mr. Speaker, it not only 
defies common sense, this is a cash reward for beating the system.
  Yesterday I introduced legislation to close this loophole by amending 
the Uniform Relocation Act so that it abides by and enforces the 
immigration law as we have passed. I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue which has raised both 
the anger of my constituents and now the eyebrows of many of my 
colleagues who thought that we had finally put an end to handing out 
benefits to illegal aliens with last year's immigration and welfare 
reform bills. I am talking about an illegal immigrant who hit the 
jackpot at the U.S. Treasury.
  The San Diego Union Tribune reported on February 12, 1997, that an 
undocumented woman residing in my hometown of Oceanside, CA, received 
$12,000 in taxpayer funds to move out of her apartment complex to make 
way for a HUD project, Department of Housing and Urban Development 
project.
  The crazy thing is, HUD knew she was undocumented, not to mention 
unemployed, and that is why she received so much. Other residents of 
the complex were moved to section 8 public housing without 
compensation. Because illegal immigrants are prohibited from living in 
section 8 housing, HUD went ahead and gave her $12,000 in relocation 
assistance.
  How could this happen? Apparently, HUD claimed it was just following 
the Uniform Relocation Act, which mandates that residents displaced by 
a Federal project who do not receive alternate housing, such as section 
8, must be financially compensated--without regard to immigration 
status.
  Legal residents in my district displaced by this same project will 
receive a subsidy of about $400 for their section 8 housing. But an 
illegal alien gets $12,000? Mr. Speaker, that is not only crazy, it is 
unbelievable. And since every Federal agency must comply with the 
Uniform Relocation Act, who knows how often this happens? Clearly, Mr. 
Speaker, this not only defies common sense, this is a cash reward for 
beating the system.
  I should also mention that the Immigration and Nationalization 
Service has yet to take the appropriate steps to deport this person. 
They know her name, her previous address, and they need to go no 
further than HUD to find out where she is now.
  Yesterday, I introduced legislation to close this loophole by 
amending the Uniform Relocation Act so that it abides by and enforces 
the immigration laws of this Nation. HUD may have found the door open 
just enough to award this woman $12,000, but I intend to slam that door 
shut, for good.
  I urge the support of all of my colleagues for this legislation. 
Simply put, it's the right thing to do. Continuing such an absurd 
policy is unacceptable.

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