Joe Cunningham: “my amendment requires the Attorney General and the Commissioner of the INS to develop and implement a program for…”

“my amendment requires the Attorney General and the Commissioner of the INS to develop and implement a program for interior repatriation. This amendment is in line with recommendations of the Jordan Commission which concluded, In the case of Mexico, repatriation of deported criminal aliens to the area of Mexico from which they came, rather than simply to the border. Removals should be done in coordination with Mexican authorities who may then determine if there is a warrant for the arrest of the criminal alien for crimes committed in Mexico. The Jordan Commission concluded that interior repatriation "increases the cost and logistical difficulty to criminal aliens who try to reenter the United States. Interior repatriation can be a deterrent * * * " One of the biggest problems we face with illegal immigration is that we are fighting the same battle over and over again. Every night, the Border Patrol picks up many of the same aliens, processes them, and drives them to the border gate. Within hours, the same aliens are crossing the border again. The INS announced this week their intention of establishing a pilot program in the area of interior repatriation. They are planning a limited trial of voluntary interior repatriation, for those involved in deportation hearings. While this is a step in the right direction, I believe we need to be bolder. My amendment is straightforward.…”