Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that reforms the Immigration and Nationality Act by increasing border patrol personnel, changing deportation laws and procedures, altering the verification system for eligibility and employment, and other similar measures aimed at decreasing illegal immigration into the U.S.

Highlights:

• Allows employers in 5 of the 7 states with the highest number of undocumented workers to voluntarily participate in pilot programs in which they can consult a national database to determine whether new employees are eligible to work in the U.S.

• Permits the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to deport documented workers if they use any relief program for 1 year out of their first 7 in the U.S.

• Provides for the Attorney General to acquire and use additional physical barrier and border technology, including biometric identifiers, to deter illegal crossings into the U.S.

• Restricts what federal programs and benefits are available to both legally documented and undocumented workers.

• Increases border control personnel by 1,000 full time positions for each year between 1997 - 2001.

• Allows a state to receive payment from the Federal Government for costs of providing emergency medical services to an individual who is an undocumented worker, as long as the costs are not otherwise reimbursed.

• Increases criminal penalties for fraudulent use of government-issued documents, such as birth certificates, drivers licenses, or personal identification cards.

• $150 million to the Attorney General for costs associated with removing undocumented worker.

• Requires the INS, in cooperation with the State Department to inform and educate all legally documented workers of the physical, psychological and legal consequences of female genital mutilation.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that reforms the Immigration and Nationality Act by increasing border patrol personnel, changing deportation laws and procedures, altering the verification system for eligibility and employment, and other similar measures aimed at decreasing illegal immigration into the United States.

Highlights:

• Increases border patrol agents by at least 4,700 active border patrol agents and less than 1,500 support personnel by the year 2000.

• Allows a state to receive payment from the Federal Government for costs of providing emergency medical services to an individual who is an illegal alien, as long as the costs are not otherwise reimbursed.

• Calls for the development of an automated entry-exit control system to enable the Attorney General to identify lawfully admitted nonimmigrants who remain in the United States beyond the authorized period.

• Increases criminal penalties for alien smuggling and fraudulent use of government-issued documents, such as birth certificates, drivers licenses, or personal identification cards.

• Restricts the federal programs and benefits available to certain aliens.

• Establishes a pilot program to collect information on nonimmigrant foreign students in at least 5 countries.

• $150 million to the Attorney General for costs associated with removing inadmissible or deportable aliens.

• $12 million for the construction of triple-fencing, concrete columns, all weather roads, sensors, and other technologies in certain areas near the United States border to deter illegal crossings into the United States.

• $10 million for detaining aliens and implementing their deportation.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that reforms the Immigration and Nationality Act by increasing border patrol personnel, changing deportation laws and procedures, altering the verification system for eligibility and employment, tightens political asylum process and restricts public benefits for illegal and some legal immigrants, all aimed at decreasing illegal immigration into the United States.

Highlights:

• Allows employers in 5 of the 7 states with the highest number of undocumented workers to voluntarily participate in a pilot program that streamlines employment eligibility confirmation process. 

• Establishes a pilot program at 3 of the 5 busiest ports of entry trafficked by foreigners that collects a record of departure for every illegal immigrant departing the U.S. and match it to their record of arrival into the United States.

• Describes and formulates a pilot program that uses closed military bases for the detention of deportable illegal foreign nationals.

• Provides for the Attorney General to acquire and use additional physical barriers and border technology, including night vision goggles, scopes and biometric identifiers and second and third barrier fences, to deter illegal crossings into the U.S.

• Increases border control personnel by 1,000 people and expands full time personnel support staffing by 800 positions.

• Amends provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act; expediting removal of illegal immigrants, creating stricter standards to assure detention of illegal immigrants, streamlining judicial review, and increasing penalties for illegal immigrant smuggling and fraudulent usage of government documents, among others.

• Allows a state to receive payment from the Federal Government for costs of providing emergency medical services to an individual who is an illegal immigrant, as long as the costs are not otherwise reimbursed.

• Permits any State to refuse illegal immigrants ineligible to receive public education, except in certain circumstances (as adopted in H Amdt 969).

• Waves environmental laws in order to complete the 14 mile section of border fence between the US and Mexico near San Diego.

• Prohibits illegal immigrants from obtaining public benefits except emergency medical care.

• Tightens political asylum process and increases the number of asylum officers to at least 600 asylum officers by FY 1997.

• $150 million to the Attorney General for costs associated with removing inadmissible or deportable illegal immigrants.

• $5 million to the Immigration and Naturalization Service to detain and remove foreign terrorists.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text