Frank Riggs: “Mr. Speaker, obviously there are many things that we can do to at least reduce the tide, the flow of illegal immigration…”

“Mr. Speaker, obviously there are many things that we can do to at least reduce the tide, the flow of illegal immigration into California and our other border States, but the best way to control our border is by demagnetizing it. That was clearly pointed out in the Jordan Commission, the commission headed up by the late Congresswoman of Texas, who said we had to reduce and ultimately eliminate social welfare benefits, including a free public education, for illegal aliens, if in fact again we were going to do a good job of controlling our borders. This is just so important in California, and it is pretty clear the direction that this Congress should take. We have to have a national policy which specifies that the Federal Government no longer can impose mandates on State and local governments by forcing them, which is what current law does, by forcing them to provide taxpayer-financed benefits to illegal immigrants. The decision should rest solely in the hands of State and local authorities to decide where their resources go. That certainly applies in the area of education.”