Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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The Wall Street Journal - 26 Sep 1996
Joe Davidson, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
In a 305-123 vote, the House approved legislation that would authorize 1,200 new Immigration and Naturalization Service investigators, increase penalties for smuggling of immigrants, mandate a 14-mile fence from the Pacific Ocean along part of the Mexican border and double the number of Border Patrol agents.
A separate measure that would let states deny public education to children of illegal immigrants also passed in a 254-175 vote. It was removed from the larger bill on Monday because President Clinton had threatened to veto the legislation if it remained. The measure is unlikely to become law.
While there was little debate over the measures to stem illegal immigration, Democrats urged defeat of the overall bill because it would deny legal immigrants aid to an even greater degree than would recently approved welfare legislation. Legal immigrants who use more than 12 months of almost any type of income-based assistance may be deported under the bill.
The measure also would restrict federally financed AIDS treatments for immigrants to a much larger degree than treatments for other communicable diseases. Supporters of that provision say it is designed to discourage foreigners with HIV or AIDS from coming to the U.S. for expensive care.
Opponents also complained that the bill would make it easier for employers to discriminate against those who, in the employer's opinion, may look or sound foreign. And environmentalists objected because the bill would let the attorney general waive certain environmental protections if they interfere with the construction of physical barriers to immigration.
The bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Lamar Smith (R., Texas), rejected the objections, calling the bill "the best opportunity in decades to address the illegal immigration crisis."
The bill now goes to the Senate, where pro-immigration and civil-rights lobbyists are focusing their efforts. At a news conference with representatives of groups opposing the bill, Sen. Paul Simon (D., Ill.) said: "This bill should not pass the Senate and if it does -- and frankly I think that is probable -- the president should veto it."
Despite strong opposition from Democrats, the administration has given no indication that President Clinton plans to veto the measure.
AIDS TREATMENT; HIV
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