[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 14, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H2617-H2618]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR SUCCESSFUL INS PILOT PROGRAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gibbons). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Sanchez] is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support 
for an INS pilot program in the city of Anaheim, CA, which has 
successfully identified and deported criminal aliens in city detention 
facilities in my congressional district.
  Yesterday the Immigration and Claims Subcommittee held a hearing to 
receive testimony regarding the program. The chief of police of the 
city of Anaheim testified about the success the city has had in 
removing criminal aliens from my congressional district.

[[Page H2618]]

  I have consistently advocated that criminal aliens should be quickly 
and permanently deported. Not only do I support the permanent 
deportation of criminal aliens, I want them caught before they commit 
crimes and jeopardize our communities. Without Federal assistance in 
undertaking this law enforcement effort, criminal aliens could cause 
undue harm to women, men and children.
  The Federal Government should do all it can to avoid burdening State 
and local police budgets with the cost of identifying, apprehending and 
deporting criminal aliens.
  The pilot program in the city of Anaheim has resulted in a very 
successful track record of detentions and deportations of criminal 
aliens. Because I fully endorse the program's success, I contacted the 
INS and requested that the Anaheim portion of the pilot program be 
continued. The INS approved my request.
  Because of my concerns, I have joined my colleagues in sending a 
letter to the Committee on the Budget requesting an increase in funding 
for the State criminal alien assistance program. This program 
reimburses State and local governments for the costs of incarcerating 
illegal alien felons. The Federal Government must not waste American 
taxpayer dollars to pay for the cost of incarcerating violent criminal 
aliens. We cannot afford to waste scarce law enforcement revenues.
  As a fiscal conservative and in the light of the current budget 
roadblock, Congress must implement a cost-effective program that 
deploys INS enforcement officers in the most efficient manner. We need 
to ensure that more criminals are captured earlier and before they have 
done harm to our people in our districts and before they end up being a 
burden to our local law enforcement.

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