Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Hillary Clinton Proposes Funding for Illegal Immigrants
2008 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has proposed amending the Senate's immigration reform legislation to provide federal funding for the education and health care of illegal immigrants.
Arguing that the federal government should pick up the tab for social services provided to illegals, Mrs. Clinton told the Senate:
"My amendment addresses one of the clearest examples of this neglect because our failed national immigration policy has left our state and local governments to bear the brunt of the costs of immigration. Our schools, our hospitals, our other state and local services are being strained."
The former first lady said her plan would direct funds to state criminal alien assistance programs to offset the costs of illegal aliens who continue to break the law after they enter the U.S. - and establish a program that provides financial assistance to state and local governments for the cost of health and educational services related to immigration.
The top Democrat promised that her program would "not appropriate any new funds or impose any new fees on [illegal] immigrants."
Instead, she explained, the Clinton amendment would tap into an already proposed $500 fee for illegal immigrants who participate in a guest worker program, should one be passed by Congress.
"My amendment directs this $500 fee into the State Impact Assistance Account," she said.
"The costs of [illegal] immigration have steadily increased and the federal government's neglect has strained local and state government budgets," Mrs. Clinton told the Senate. "I just think that if we pass any kind of immigration reform and we don't take into account the strains on the budgets of state and local governments, we will not have done our job."
2008 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has proposed amending the Senate's immigration reform legislation to provide federal funding for the education and health care of illegal immigrants.
Arguing that the federal government should pick up the tab for social services provided to illegals, Mrs. Clinton told the Senate:
"My amendment addresses one of the clearest examples of this neglect because our failed national immigration policy has left our state and local governments to bear the brunt of the costs of immigration. Our schools, our hospitals, our other state and local services are being strained."
The former first lady said her plan would direct funds to state criminal alien assistance programs to offset the costs of illegal aliens who continue to break the law after they enter the U.S. - and establish a program that provides financial assistance to state and local governments for the cost of health and educational services related to immigration.
The top Democrat promised that her program would "not appropriate any new funds or impose any new fees on [illegal] immigrants."
Instead, she explained, the Clinton amendment would tap into an already proposed $500 fee for illegal immigrants who participate in a guest worker program, should one be passed by Congress.
"My amendment directs this $500 fee into the State Impact Assistance Account," she said.
"The costs of [illegal] immigration have steadily increased and the federal government's neglect has strained local and state government budgets," Mrs. Clinton told the Senate. "I just think that if we pass any kind of immigration reform and we don't take into account the strains on the budgets of state and local governments, we will not have done our job."
