Jones Denounces Senate Amnesty Bill

Press Release

JONES DENOUNCES SENATE AMNESTY BILL

Third District Representative Walter B. Jones denounced today's announcement that Senate negotiators have reached an agreement on immigration legislation that would offer amnesty to virtually all of the 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

"I am outraged that Senator Kennedy's ‘compromise' bill means compromising our nation's respect for the rule of law and embracing illegal aliens with open arms," Congressman Jones said. "Instead of pushing amnesty to reward lawbreakers, this Congress needs to take a responsible step toward meaningful immigration reform by passing legislation - as the Republican House did last Congress - that reestablishes respect for immigration laws, demands accountability by cracking down on employers hiring illegal workers and smugglers trafficking in human beings, and confronts the emerging problem of alien gangs."

"The American people and the people of North Carolina are justifiably frustrated by this Congress' inability to effectively deal with the issue of illegal immigrants. The illegal immigration crisis is causing higher taxes for social services, higher costs for health insurance, and it costs our public schools millions every year. It also threatens our national security, as our open borders provide an easy entry point for terrorists who wish to do us harm," Jones said.

"History has shown that amnesty disguised as a guest-worker program does not stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States," Jones said. "In fact, it does just the opposite. In 1986, Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act, giving amnesty to all illegal aliens who had been in the country four years or more or were illegally working in agriculture. As a result, 2.8 million illegal aliens were admitted as legal immigrants to the United States. Right now, there are approximately 12 million illegal aliens residing in this country. Obviously, amnesty programs do not work."

"Too many illegal immigrants are able to cross our borders and too many criminals are able to exploit our immigration laws," Jones said. "It is absolutely critical that we regain control of our nation's borders and strengthen immigration enforcement - without amnesty."

Among its most troubling provisions, the Senate bill would:

- Reward illegal immigrants by offering them a temporary-residency permit while they await a new, indefinitely renewable "Z Visa" that would allow them to live and work lawfully in the U.S.

- Grant illegal immigrants a path to citizenship that is not similarly available to those who have been waiting abroad to enter the country legally.

- Offer legal status to most of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now in the U.S.

- Allow the head of an illegal immigrant household to merely "touch back" in their home country to apply for permanent legal residence for all members of their household.

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