Lincoln Diaz-Balart - United States Congressman

I believe that any legislation Congress considers should be comprehensive in nature. It must take into account our need to secure our borders while taking a balanced and reasonable approach to the undocumented workers who perform the jobs Americans and legal U.S. residents are often unwilling to fill. We must also create a system to ensure that foreign workers seeking employment in the U.S. are appropriately authorized to work in the U.S. in the future without hurting American workers.

In 2008 I asked the Bush Administration to grant temporary protective status (TPS) to Haitians and extend TPS for Salvadorans, Hondurans and Nicaraguans. The purpose of TPS is to create a safe haven for undocumented aliens who face deportation to a country which presents a dangerous situation. Both the political upheaval following the fall of the corrupt Aristide government and the effects of Hurricane Jeanne posed a risk to Haitians deported back to their homeland which led me to repeatedly request TPS for Haitian nationals. The Central American countries I have mentioned are still recovering from severe devastation caused by earthquakes, volcanic activity and hurricanes. These natural disasters destroyed innumerable lives and caused significant damage to the infrastructure and economy of these countries. The Bush Administration recently announced that it would extend TPS for Salvadorans, Hondurans and Nicaraguans through 2010. While the Administration has unfortunately not yet given Haitian nationals TPS, I will continue to work with my colleagues to urge the Administration to grant TPS for Haitian nationals.

I have also asked that the administration provide Venezuelan nationals in the U.S. with “Deferred Enforced Departure” (DED) which, according to law, may be granted to delay the deportation of groups of individuals to countries where they would be placed in danger due to political reasons. Chavez is systematically eliminating the Venezuelan people’s freedoms. He has sought to silence peaceful opposition by placing heavy restrictions and penalties on media outlets that still permit criticism of the government. The United States has long followed the principle that we will not return a foreign national to a country where his or her life or freedom would be threatened. As Chavez deepens his dictatorship in Venezuela, we must not turn our backs on Venezuelans in the U.S. who fear persecution from Chavez for speaking out against his regime.

March 26, 2009, Rep. Howard Berman and I introduced, H.R.1751, the American Dream Act. The bill seeks to restore the States’ rights to determine residency requirements for higher education benefits – giving states the option to provide in-state tuition. The American Dream Act seeks to facilitate access to postsecondary educational opportunities for immigrant students in the United States who currently face barriers in pursuing a college education. It also provides a path to U.S. legal residency for students, and military personnel. Young students and brave soldiers should not be punished for a decision which was made by their parents, in which they played no role.

Many who arrive on our shores have fled war torn, impoverished countries, often leaving all of their worldly possessions behind. The Welfare Law of 1996 unnecessarily barred legal immigrants from receiving food stamps and social security income (SSI). Working with the House Leadership, I worked to ensure that as many needy immigrants as possible continued receiving the vital benefits which were barred by the passage of this law. On May 15, 1997, I offered an amendment to legislation considered by the House to restore SSI and Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants. This amendment was adopted by an overwhelming vote of 345-74. The 1997 Balanced Budget Act reinforced these efforts, permanently restoring SSI for legal immigrants receiving assistance in August 1996, when the ban became law.

One of my proudest days in Congress was November 19, 1997, when the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA), was signed into law. I was the primary author of this legislation which created a process for the obtaining of legal residency for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable individuals who sought safety in the United States for themselves and their families. NACARA has been the model for other legislation which I have co-sponsored to protect vulnerable populations.

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