[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16222]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRUE IMMIGRATION REFORM NEEDED

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, past experiences in the United States and 
Europe clearly shows that amnesty legislation only encourages further 
illegal immigration. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 
required a criminal background check, payment of application fees, 
acquisition of English-language skills, and a civics requirement. Now, 
despite all those measures, the law failed to curb the influx of 
illegal immigration.
  The Senate's immigration reform legislation embodies the same flawed 
strategy as the 1986 law. Any measures to enhance border security or to 
improve immigration services would be overwhelmed by a continued flow 
of both illegal border crossing and individuals who entered legally, 
but remain in this country past the period authorized by their visa.
  To stop further illegal immigration, Congress should not grant these 
illegal immigrants in the United States any form of legal status that 
does not require them to leave the United States voluntarily and 
undergo adequate criminal national security and health checks before 
seeking to return.

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