Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 made long-needed reforms to our laws governing the deportation of criminal aliens. The act put an end to criminal aliens' indefinitely delaying their deportations through endless appeals and put an end to serious criminals such as rapists being granted relief from deportation. The results are clear and gratifying. The number of criminal aliens deported by the INS has gone up dramatically since enactment of the act. Our neighborhoods are safer, especially immigrant neighborhoods, which have always borne the brunt of crime committed by aliens. One aspect of the 1996 act has, however, led to a number of deportations that strike many, including myself, as unfair. The act broadened the definition of crimes which are considered aggravated felonies for which no relief from deportation is available. The hardship has come about because this change was made retroactively. The new definition of aggravated felony applies to crimes whenever committed. Thus, aliens who committed crimes years before enactment of the 1996 act, crimes not considered aggravated felonies when committed, have become deportable as aggravated felons.”