[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
[May 3, 1995]
[Pages 632-633]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Congress Transmitting Proposed Legislation To Improve 
Immigration Enforcement
May 3, 1995

To the Congress of the United States:
    I am pleased to transmit today for your immediate consideration and 
enactment the ``Immigration Enforcement Improvements Act of 1995.'' This 
legislative proposal builds on the Administration's FY 1996 Budget 
initiatives and complements the Presidential Memorandum I signed on 
February 7, 1995, which directs heads of executive departments and 
agencies to strengthen control of our borders, increase worksite 
enforcement, improve employment authorization verification, and expand 
the capability of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to 
identify criminal aliens and remove them from the United States. Also 
transmitted is a section-by-section analysis.
    Some of the most significant provisions of this proposal will:
     Authorize the Attorney General to increase the Border 
Patrol by no fewer than 700 agents and add sufficient personnel to 
support those agents for fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998.
     Authorize the Attorney General to increase the number of 
border inspectors to a level adequate to assure full staffing.
     Authorize an Employment Verification Pilot Program to 
conduct tests of various methods of verifying work authorization status, 
including using the Social Security Administration and INS databases. 
The Pilot Program will determine the most cost-effective, fraud-
resistant, and nondiscriminatory means of removing a significant 
incentive to illegal immigration--employment in the United States.
     Reduce the number of documents that may be used for 
employment authorization.
     Increase substantially the penalties for alien smuggling, 
illegal reentry, failure to depart, employer violations, and immigration 
document fraud.
     Streamline deportation and exclusion procedures so that the 
INS can expeditiously remove more criminal aliens from the United 
States.
     Allow aliens to be excluded from entering the United States 
during extraordinary migration

[[Page 633]]

situations or when the aliens are arriving on board smuggling vessels. 
Persons with a credible fear of persecution in their countries of 
nationality would be allowed to enter the United States to apply for 
asylum.
     Expand the use of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt 
Organizations (RICO) statute to authorize its use to pursue alien 
smuggling organizations; permit the INS, with judicial authorization, to 
intercept wire, electronic, and oral communications of persons involved 
in alien smuggling operations; and make subject to forfeiture all 
property, both real and personal, used or intended to be used to smuggle 
aliens.
     Authorize Federal courts to require criminal aliens to 
consent to their deportation as a condition of probation.
     Permit new sanctions to be imposed against countries that 
refuse to accept the deportation of their nationals from the United 
States. The proposal will allow the Secretary of State to refuse 
issuance of all visas to nationals of those countries.
     Authorize a Border Services User Fee to help add additional 
inspectors at high volume ports-of-entry. The new inspectors will 
facilitate legal crossings; prevent entry by illegal aliens; and stop 
cross-border drug smuggling. (Border States, working with local 
communities, would decide whether the fee should be imposed in order to 
improve infrastructure.)
    This legislative proposal, together with my FY 1996 Budget and the 
February 7th Presidential Memorandum, will continue this 
Administration's unprecedented actions to combat illegal immigration 
while facilitating legal immigration. Our comprehensive strategy will 
protect the integrity of our borders and laws without dulling the luster 
of our Nation's proud immigrant heritage.
    I urge the prompt and favorable consideration of this legislative 
proposal by the Congress.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

May 3, 1995.