Alan Simpson: “this amendment, which was the original Simpson amendment No. 3, creates a new ground of exclusion and of deportation for…”

“this amendment, which was the original Simpson amendment No. 3, creates a new ground of exclusion and of deportation for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship. Mr. President, this amendment would add a new section to the bill. This is repetitive of remarks when we began the legislation, but this section would create a new ground of exclusion and of deportation for falsely representing oneself as a U.S. citizen. This amendment is a complement to another one I am proposing. The other amendment would modify the bill section providing for pilot projects on systems to verify work authorization and eligibility to apply for public assistance. One of the requirements of that other amendment is that the Attorney General conduct certain specific pilot projects including one in which employers would be required to verify the immigration status of aliens but not persons claiming to be citizens. Such persons would be required only to attest to being citizens. That came up in debate in the markup in the Judiciary Committee, that Americans, U.S. citizens, should not have to do some of the things that we require of others, and so there would be an attest provision. Obviously, the major weakness in any such system as that is the potential for false claims of citizenship. That is why I am offering the present amendment, which would create a major new disincentive for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.”