President Bush is proposing a major overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws today — giving thousands of illegal workers more time in the U.S. Iowa Congressman Steve King, a republican from Kiron, says we don’t need changes. King says his view is based on the seven immigration reforms Congress has passed since 1986. He says none of the reforms have worked and have done nothing but increase the amount of illegal immigration. King says until we enforce the laws we have, we’ll continue to have more illegal immigration. He says the change moves us backwards, not forwards. King says it’s not a matter of trying to end immigration. He says he likes immigrants and is descended from immigrants, and he reminds everyone there is no nation that wasn’t built by immigrants. He says its part of his responsibility in Congress to establish immigration policy designed to enhance the economic, social and cultural well being of the U.S. He says we cannot be the safety valve for poverty in Mexico. King says those who argue for the changes says the illegal workers are paying taxes. King says that’s misleading. He says he gets check stubs sent to him that show social security is taken out, but there are so many defendants declared that there is not state or local tax taken out of the check. Some also says that products and services would cost more without illegal aliens doing the low-wage jobs. King says the studies show that’s not so. He says on balance there’s a net cost to society from the burden on taxpayers to pay the medical and social services of all kinds. King says giving illegal aliens a free pass won’t help. He says he’s concerned about the rule of law and says we should enforce the laws we have before granting amnesty to the people that break them.
