Duncan Faircloth: “while we are debating the Simpson amendment on legal immigration, let me stress the need to address the problem of…”

“while we are debating the Simpson amendment on legal immigration, let me stress the need to address the problem of illegal immigration as part of Senate bill 1664. I support S. 1664. Madam President, stopping illegal immigration is one of the most difficult problems facing the United States. A recent study concluded that, since 1970, illegal immigrants have cost the American people over $19 billion in both direct and indirect public assistance. None of us doubt that illegal immigration is soaring in the country. Some estimate that the number of illegal aliens in the United States is over 4 million people. Moreover, the number of illegal immigrants coming into the United States is growing by over some 300,000 a year. During the recent recess, I visited many counties in North Carolina. It was very interesting that each county I went into, the county commissioners and the health officials all said, ``We have a particular problem in this country that does not apply to other counties. We are being inundated with illegal immigrants.'' Well, it became almost a joke because each county was of the assumption that they were the only one that had the problem. The truth of it is, the problem is not only statewide, but it is nationwide. We need to stop it. Illegal immigrants are not supposed to be able to get public benefits; yet, over time, this has been changed. The Supreme Court ruled that children of illegal immigrants are entitled to a public education.”