Military

DATE=11/06/01

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

TITLE=ANTI-TERRORISM / ILLEGALS

NUMBER=5-50447

BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The Census Bureau estimates the number of illegal immigrants in the United States has doubled during the past decade and now surpasses seven-million. Before the September 11th terrorist attack, U-S lawmakers were debating the idea of an amnesty for some, now the government is implementing tighter controls. Correspondent Laurie Kassman looks at the situation for undocumented workers after September 11th.

TEXT: Immigration experts say most of the undocumented workers hail from Mexico and points farther south. The U-S boom economy has been a magnet for those fleeing poverty at home.

Immigration analyst Deborah Myers of the Migration Policy Institute says the numbers are not surprising.

/// MYERS ACT ///

These are people already here. It was not that there were a large number of new people. This had been a steady increase over time.

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Earlier in the year, Mexican and U-S officials had started working on proposals for an amnesty for Mexican workers living illegally in the United States. Immigration experts like Miss Myers advocated extending the amnesty option to undocumented workers from other countries.

But, the September 11th terrorist attacks and increased anti-terrorism measures have put into question the future of those proposals.

Paul Virtue is a former counselor of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. He says congressional action on the amnesty plan will move down the list of priorities.

/// VIRTUE ACT ///

What has been placed on the back burner are the proposals to regularize the status of people who are here unlawfully. And, what is on the front burner right now is to increase security and prevent illegal entry.

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New anti-terrorism laws have put the I-N-S in the mix of efforts to help track terrorist suspects. But Mr. Virtue says even before the added responsibilities, I-N-S resources were stretched to the limit.

/// VIRTUE ACT TWO ///

The I-N-S has about two-thousand agents throughout the United States to police illegal immigration, and they have quite a few responsibilities on their plate, including identifying and arresting and preparing for removal people non-nationals who commit crimes in the United States. They are also responsible for anti-fraud measures. They are also responsible for countering smuggling of aliens into the United States and operations and for the enforcement of sanctions against employers who hire people unlawfully.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Virtue suggests that most undocumented Latin Americans are violating U-S administrative laws by their irregular status, but probably do not pose a more serious security threat.

Still immigration workers say illegal aliens have lowered their public profiles even more after the September 11th attacks. Many families of undocumented workers killed in the World Trade Center attack even hesitated to notify the authorities because of fears of deportation.

Immigration expert Deborah Myers says tracking long-term illegal aliens is now less of a priority for the I-N-S. She says a bigger threat for undocumented works is the economic downturn that has worsened after the terrorist attacks.

/// MYERS ACT THREE ///

Most undocumented (immigrants) work in service industry jobs and those jobs are being eliminated at a very quick rate. I think the challenge for the undocumented here will be whether to stay and wait it out or whether to go home.

/// END ACT ///

But, Miss Myers says the problem for those who decide to go home will be trying to get back into the United States. As part of its anti-terrorism campaign, the government has tightened security controls at all U-S ports of entry, especially the land borders with Mexico and Canada. (SIGNED)

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