SOLUTION
to the INS ACT OF 1996

As presented by Mr. Edward Juarez-Pagliocco, President/Founder

We, at the INTERNATIONAL IMMIGRANTS FOUNDATION, and all endorsing organizations (see list of endorsing organizations below), strongly submit that the causes of the above-mentioned problems can be totally eradicated through the enactment of legislation that would permanently adopt Section 245 (i) and amend INA Section 249 to allow undocumented aliens of good moral character (who entered the US prior to September 30, 1996) to become legal permanent residents. We also respectfully submit that the INTERNATIONAL IMMIGRANTS FOUNDATION's Amnesty 2000 Initiative provides a viable solution that is supported by the following important considerations, namely from: PUBLIC POLICY PERSPECTIVE:, the legalization of undocumented immigrants is also justified by the fact that, without the proposed amendments, the new Act of 1996 SIMPLY cannot be implemented and enforced. ECONOMIC STANDPOINT:, the advocated legalization would replace the current underground society with a healthier and more productive workforce that effectively contributes to increased government revenues, enhanced business prospects, and expanded job opportunities. As reported in the New York Times of December 5th 1998 (cf. attached article), current labor conditions in the US should be significantly improved rather than hindered by the absorption of additional manpower in the labor market through the legalization of undocumented immigrants. Significant factors that sustain this expectation include: · A booming economy that has been growing at a 3.7% annual rate; · An average increase of over 300,000 jobs a month (as reported by NYT & Wall Street Journal early 1999); · an unemployment rate of less than 4%, the lowest rate in the last three decades; · Department of Commerce estimates of immediate needs for an additional 1.3 million workers in the fields of computers and industrial technology alone; · concerns over the fact that "nearly one-third of small businesses surveyed… reported having trouble filling job openings" and " when unemployment is this low, workers to fill new jobs have to come from somewhere else" (NYT, 5/12/98) · the bright economic prospects of Free-Trade; and · a global market expansion.