[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       INTRODUCTION OF GUAM IMMIGRATION BILL AND MAGISTRATE BILL

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing two pieces of 
legislation which are important to the people of Guam. Today I am 
introducing a bill which will significantly impact human rights 
violations and criminal activity on Guam. During the past year, Guam 
has experienced a significant influx of Chinese illegal immigrants. 
Chinese crime syndicates organize boatloads of Chinese to illegally 
enter the United States for an exorbitant fee of $8,000 to $10,000 per 
person. After undergoing an arduous journey under fetid, unsanitary 
conditions, the Chinese reach Guam dehydrated, hungry, disease-ridden 
and sometimes beaten. Upon arrival, the smuggled Chinese become 
indentured servants as they attempt to pay their passage to America.
  Unlike other streams of illegal immigrants coming into the United 
States, these immigrants come as a result of a well-organized series of 
activities organized by crime syndicates. What they do, Mr. Speaker, is 
they utilize the existing INS regulations, they utilize the INA law in 
order to apply for political asylum when they arrive on Guam.
  Guam's geographical proximity and asylum acceptance regulations make 
it a prime target for crime syndicates. According to Guam's INS officer 
in charge, Mr. David Johnston, about 700 illegal Chinese immigrants 
traveled to Guam last year. Since the beginning of this year alone, 157 
have been apprehended by INS, local Guam officials and the U.S. Coast 
Guard. Since the INS does not have enough funds to detain the Chinese 
illegal immigrants on Guam, they have proposed to release them to the 
general populace without assistance. Fortunately, the Government of 
Guam has offered its already strained resources to detain the illegal 
aliens until they are ready to be adjudicated.
  Mr. Speaker, Chinese crime syndicates have exploited Immigration and 
Nationality Act asylum regulations for too long. The bill I introduce 
does three things:
  It would prohibit immigrants from applying for political asylum on 
Guam, an exception from the INA law which is applicable to territories; 
it would stipulate that the illegal immigrants have to be shipped or 
deported out of Guam within 30 days; and that the Government of Guam 
should be compensated for funds spent on the detention of immigrants 
pursuant to this act. We must put a stop to this gross offense of human 
rights and promotion of criminal activities.
  Secondarily, Mr. Speaker, I am introducing a companion measure 
introduced in the other body by Senator Daniel Inouye, S. 184. This 
legislation permanizes a temporary judgeship in the State of Hawaii and 
authorizes the addition of another judgeship for the State. It also 
extends statutory authority for magistrate positions in Guam and the 
CNMI.
  Guam and the CNMI are the only jurisdictions, the only territories, 
that are not allowed to have additional magistrates, and Guam's 
district court is ranked number five in terms of its caseload 
nationwide. We get a lot of cases because of the illegal immigrants, 
because Guam is a central location. We have opportunities for drug 
dealers and gun runners to use Guam as a transshipment point. 
Bankruptcy, tax and civil cases have tripled in 1998.
  This is a cost-saving measure. This will allow the Federal judiciary 
to send an additional magistrate and not send one temporarily, which 
runs about $400,000 a year.

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