[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 144 (Thursday, October 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S11033]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           IMMIGRATION EXTENSION IN THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION

  Mr. FAIRCLOTH. Mr. President, I would like to make several comments 
on the extension of the provision of section 245(I) which is in the 
continuing resolution we passed today.
  This provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act allowed foreign 
nationals to adjust their status while remaining in this country after 
either entering the United States illegally or remaining in this 
country after their visa expired and they became illegal.
  Either way, these individuals have entered this country without 
having respect for our laws or have remained here because of little or 
no respect for our laws.
  On August 22, 1996, this body passed legislation to attempt to 
enforce stricter penalties against those foreign nationals that arrive 
in the United States illegally or remain hidden in the workforce 
illegally after their visas expire. The law we passed required illegal 
aliens to leave this country and go through the proper channels of 
immigration from their homeland or remain here and be subject to a 3- 
or 10-year bar from reentry into our country.
  The Illegal Immigration Act of 1996 calls for a mandatory 3-year bar 
against that illegal alien from entering this country if he or she has 
remained illegally in this country for 180 days after April 1, 1997.
  If he or she remains here for 1 year after April 1, 1997, that bar is 
10 years.
  It appears in just over 1 year from passing this legislation and just 
at the time the 180 day timeframe kicks in--now this body is attempting 
to provide a loophole for illegal aliens to remain in this country with 
little or no consequence.
  I am opposed to this extension. And I will not vote for any 
legislation that permanently extends the cut off period. What we are 
doing is rewarding illegal behavior.
  I sometimes wonder why we have immigration laws that we do not 
enforce?
  Our immigration policy in this country is a mess. We don't have a 
policy, because if we make one we make exceptions to it almost 
immediately. Here we are 1 year later and we are providing extensions 
already. When is this kind of legislating going to stop?
  For as little as $1,000, someone can remain in this country 
illegally. This is a small price to pay to enable someone with little 
regard for our laws to remain in this great country.
  Mr. President, what kind of signal does it send to hardworking, law-
abiding Americans--that you can come to this country illegally and stay 
here illegally, for as little as $1,000.
  I think we send the signal that anybody can come to the United States 
at anytime and stay here for as long as they want.
  Maybe I have the answer to the respect for our laws that some 
noncitizens have. I have also received information from the Bureau of 
Prisons that in the Federal prison system approximately 26.6 percent of 
the Federal inmates are not U.S. citizens as of June 1997. To take care 
of these prisoners is costing U.S. taxpayers $687 million a year.
  By the U.S. Congress extending the ability to adjust status to 
persons that have little regard for our laws with such little 
consequence, we are only condoning illegal actions and opening the door 
to further crime.
  Illegal immigrants have put a burden on our Federal system which we 
cannot sustain and remain solvent. This is wrong. We as a country 
cannot continue to fix the errors of illegal immigrants. They should be 
held accountable for their actions.
  Mr. President, it is a privilege to be in this great country. We must 
request all residents, whether citizens or noncitizens, of the United 
States adhere to our laws. And our message should be consistent.
  For these reasons, I am strongly opposed to the extension of 245(I) 
that is in the continuing resolution. I am further opposed to any 
effort to make permanent changes to this law that would weaken our 
immigration policy.

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