Скачать или смотреть USA: CONGRESS DEBATE NEW IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL

(21 Mar 1996) English/Nat

The United States Congress is debating a new immigration reform bill designed to crack down on illegal immigration.

Some Republicans have added amendments which would make even legal immigration more difficult.

Immigrants taking the oath of American citizenship.

It's an everyday occurrence in a country that has traditionally opened its doors to people from around the globe.

But a new bill now being debated is taking a critical look at America's policy of immigration.

And Congress may make it tougher for legal entry into the United States as well, sparking contentious debate on Capitol Hill.

SOUNDBITE:
I think it is fundamentally wrong to take the justifiable anger about our failure to deal with the issue of illegal immigration, and piggy back on top of that anger a drastic in five years 40 per cent cut in permitted legal immigration.
SUPERCAPTION: Representative Howard Berman, Democrat-Florida

The bill was originally intended to crack down on illegal immigration.

It allocates more money to help the United States Border Patrol in its effort to tighten security at America's borders.

The bill would allow also local police to detain and hand over suspected aliens to the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

The Clinton administration supports these measures.

SOUNDBITE:
They would add to our tool kit in terms of being able to affect regulation of immigration to the United States and to be expeditious about it in a way in a way that makes more sense than some of the current procedures.
SUPERCAPTION: Chris Sales, Deputy Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service

But parts of the bill has sparked a Congressional debate crossing party lines.

Those provisions include requiring some legal immigrants to pass a standardised English proficiency test and would prevent naturalized citizens the ability to sponsor siblings into the country.

Another amendment offered Wednesday would allow individual states to decide whether they should spend public money on public education for illegal aliens.

The amendment has been criticised by the White House, which says it would punish children and turns teachers into government agents.

SOUNDBITE:
They seem to be suggesting that if they're not in school they'd be better off out on the streets, participating in gang activities doing who knows what, or alternatively turning teachers and principles into adjunct officers of the immigration and naturalisation service. That's a nutty idea.
SUPERCAPTION: Mike McCurry, White House Spokesman

The bill has sparked furious debate on Capitol Hill, where the traditional open-door policy of America is being questioned.

SOUNDBITE:
It's not a radical proposal - what is radical is the idea of doing nothing which is what they're advocating letting us have five hundred million people in this country.
SUPERCAPTION: Representative John Bryant, Democrat-Texas

SOUNDBITE:
Think where your ancestors came from. Why did they join the cosmic race here? It was for the same reasons that we enjoyed being Americans. It's the land of opportunity and the home of the brave and we enjoy a degree of personal liberty which is unprecedented.
SUPERCAPTION: Representative Philip Crane, Republican-Illinois

America, for so long a land of opportunity, may eventually have to shut its doors.

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