A Borderline Column on Immigration Bill

It is unfortunate that columnist James Flanigan buys into the liberals’ arguments on the recently enacted landmark illegal immigration reform law, obviously without taking even a minute to read the legislation for himself (“New Bill on Immigration Is Borderline at Best,” Sept. 29).

Had he done his own homework, he would have discovered that the new law significantly strengthens and toughens our laws against hiring illegal aliens.

Mr. Flanigan claims that there are no new workplace inspectors authorized in the law. But it provides 900 new Immigration and Naturalization Service investigators whose principal role will be to find and arrest illegal aliens who are taking Americans’ jobs.

The new law creates new penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens who have been smuggled into the United States.

And this historic legislation also creates three new pilot programs that will provide employers in California and other states with a quick-check system to tell them whether or not a new hire is an illegal alien.

We can agree that Congress can and should continue to reform our immigration system. Since the Clinton Administration so strongly opposed our efforts to reform legal immigration, I look forward to having Mr. Flanigan’s support next year if Congress moves in that direction.

Rep. LAMAR SMITH

Chairman, House Subcommittee

on Immigration and Claims

Washington