Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRRA)
Senate Voting Comparison: Simpson, Feinstein, Abraham, Thompson
Gary C. Huggins
October 12, 2007

In the wake of the 1993 World Trade Center bombings and the 1994 passage of California’s Proposition 187, it was evident that our open border immigration policies presented a clear and present danger and an economic burden to US citizens. An immediate overhaul of our badly broken immigration system should have been a top priority when Congress met on the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRRA).

Senators Alan Simpson (R-WY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Spencer Abraham (R-MI) introduced amendments to the bill. Senators Simpson and Feinstein sought to restrict and reform immigration policy. Senator Abraham opposed restriction and reform. Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) voted in support of Abraham’s amendments and opposed the Simpson and Feinstein attempts to restrict and reform existing immigration policy.

Numbers USA, a non-partisan immigration reduction organization maintains an analysis of all immigration related amendments, votes, co-sponsorships, and other immigration actions during a Congressional career. An Immigration Profile is featured on their website and is the only exhaustive source for this information available in one place. A review of the profiles for Alan Simpson, Dianne Feinstein, Spencer Abraham and Fred Thompson regarding the Immigration Control and Financial Responsibility Act of 1996 indicate the following:

Senator Alan Simpson – Amendments and Votes: 1996

Senator Simpson introduced the Simpson Amendment to S.1664. For Americans who want to bring immigration back down toward traditional levels, this vote was the most important one cast since 1990. Total annual immigration had snowballed from less than 300,000 in 1965 to around a million primarily because of provisions allowing immigrants to send for their adult relatives. Then each of those relatives can send for their and their spouse’s adult relatives, creating a never-ending and ever-growing chain. The bi-partisan Barbara Jordan Commission recommended doing away with the adult relative categories (begun only in the 1950s) in order to lessen wage depression among lower-paid American workers. Senator Simpson agreed with the Jordan Commission. He voted in favor of the Simpson Amendment which attempted to carry out that recommendation. But the Senate voted 80-20 to kill the reform, thus endorsing the chain migration which the Census Bureau projects will double the U.S. population again in the next century. Senator Simpson voted against that much-more congested future. See detailed description

Voted in favor of legal immigration reform in 1996

During committee consideration of S.1664, Senator Simpson opposed an amendment by Senator Spencer Abraham to sever the legal immigration reforms from the bill. Unfortunately, the amendment passed and the long anticipated and needed revisions to the legal immigration system, the same provisions supported by the Jordan Commission to improve the immigration process, were defeated.

Voted to reduce chain migration in 1996

Senator Simpson voted in 1996 for the Feinstein Amendment to S.1664. The Feinstein Amendment would have reduced annual admission of spouses and minor children of citizens to 480,000 and significantly reduced annual limits other categories of chain migration such as parents of citizens, and adult unmarried children of citizens. By voting for the Feinstein Amendment, Sen. Simpson voted in favor of reducing a chain migration system that has been the primary reason for annual immigration levels snowballing from less than 300,000 in 1965 to around a million today. In 1996 the bi-partisan Barbara Jordan Commission recommended doing away with the adult relative categories (begun only in the 1950s) in order to lessen wage depression among lower-paid American workers. The Feinstein Amendment attempted to carry out that recommendation. The Feinstein Amendment would have had an overall impact of reducing U.S. population growth by about 1.2 million over 10 years, but it was defeated by a vote of 26 to 74. Click here to see a detailed description.

Protected voluntary pilot programs for workplace verification in 1996

Senator Simpson voted AGAINST the Abraham Amendment to S.1664. His vote was one in favor of setting up voluntary pilot programs in high-immigration states that would assist employers in verifying whether people they had just hired had the legal right to work in the US. Such verification is considered by many experts to be an essential tool for withdrawing the job magnet from illegal aliens. The verification system established by S.1664 did not involve an ID card. Rather it provided that when new workers wrote down their Social Security number on an application, employers could phone into a national verification system to help assure that the number was a real number and belonged to the person giving it. In earlier smaller pilot programs, businesses had hailed the verification system for making it easier for them to avoid hiring illegal aliens. But a coalition of conservative pro-business Members and of liberal civil libertarians tried to kill the verification program as too intrusive into the private rights of businesses and workers. Opposing that coalition, Sen. Simpson was part of a 54-46 majority that preserved the voluntary pilot programs.

Senator Dianne Feinstein – Amendments and Votes: 1996

Senator Feinstein introduced the Feinstein Amendment which would have reduced annual admission of spouses and minor children of citizens to 480,000 and significantly reduced annual limits other categories of chain migration such as parents of citizens, and adult unmarried children of citizens. The amendment would reduce a chain migration system that has been the primary reason for annual immigration levels snowballing from less than 300,000 in 1965 to around a million today. In 1996 the bi-partisan Barbara Jordan Commission recommended doing away with the adult relative categories (begun only in the 1950s) in order to lessen wage depression among lower-paid American workers. The Feinstein Amendment attempted to carry out that recommendation. The Feinstein Amendment would have had an overall impact of reducing U.S. population growth by about 1.2 million over 10 years, but it was defeated by a vote of 26 to 74. Click here to see a detailed description.

Senator Feinstein voted in favor of legal immigration reform in 1996

During committee consideration of S.1664, Senator Feinstein opposed an amendment by Senator Spencer Abraham to sever the legal immigration reforms from the bill. Unfortunately, the amendment passed and the long anticipated and needed revisions to the legal immigration system, the same provisions supported by the Jordan Commission to improve the immigration process, were defeated.

Senator Feinstein attempted higher fines on businesses which hire illegal aliens in 1996

Senator Feinstein came close in the Judiciary Committee consideration of S.1664 to making it less attractive for businesses to hire illegal aliens. Under the idea that current fines were not enough of a deterrent against businesses cutting their labor costs by hiring illegal aliens, the Senate immigration subcommittee had approved higher fines. Various study commissions have found that the willingness of U.S. businesses to hire illegal aliens is the No. 1 incentive for foreign workers to become illegal aliens here. But Senator Hatch – Judiciary chairman – moved that the higher fines be deleted. While nine members supported the chairman, Senator Feinstein was one of eight members who tried to keep the higher fines in the 1996 legislation against illegal immigration.

Senators Feinstein & Boxer protected voluntary pilot programs for workplace verification in 1996

Senators Feinstein & Boxer voted against the Abraham Amendment to S.1664. Their votes were in favor of setting up voluntary pilot programs in high-immigration states that would assist employers in verifying whether people they had just hired had the legal right to work in the US. Such verification is considered by many experts to be an essential tool for withdrawing the job magnet from illegal aliens. The verification system established by S.1664 did not involve an ID card. Rather it provided that when new workers wrote down their Social Security number on an application, employers could phone into a national verification system to help assure that the number was a real number and belonged to the person giving it. In earlier smaller pilot programs, businesses had hailed the verification system for making it easier for them to avoid hiring illegal aliens. But a coalition of conservative pro-business Members and of liberal civil libertarians tried to kill the verification program as too intrusive into the private rights of businesses and workers. Opposing that coalition, Sen. Feinstein and Boxer were part of a 54-46 majority that preserved the voluntary pilot programs.

Senator Spencer Abraham – Amendments and Votes: 1996

Voted to strip legal reforms from 1996 bill

Senator Spencer Abraham’s amendment to remove the legal immigration reforms from S.1664, the Immigration Control and Financial Responsibility Act of 1996, helped defeat legal immigration reform by effectively killed any chance of Congress considering the Jordan Commission recommendations on easing legal immigration levels.

Tried to kill voluntary pilot programs for workplace verification in 1996

Senator Abraham introduced the Abraham Amendment to S.1664. He was part of a coalition of pro-business conservatives and liberal civil libertarians who tried to use the amendment to kill the establishment of voluntary pilot programs in high-immigration states. The programs were intended to assist employers in verifying whether people they had just hired had the legal right to work in this country. Such verification is considered by many experts to be an essential tool for withdrawing the job magnet from illegal aliens. The verification system established by S.1664 did not involve an ID card. Rather it provided that when new workers wrote down their Social Security number on an application, employers could phone into a national verification system to help assure that the number was a real number and belonged to the person giving it. In earlier smaller pilot programs, businesses had hailed the verification system for making it easier for them to avoid hiring illegal aliens. Sen. Abraham was unsuccessful in stopping the voluntary verification system. The Senate tabled the amendment by a 54-46 vote.

Voted in favor of chain migration in 1996

Senator Abraham voted in 1996 against the Feinstein Amendment to S.1664. The Feinstein Amendment would have reduced annual admission of spouses and minor children of citizens to 480,000 and significantly reduced annual limits other categories of chain migration such as parents of citizens and adult unmarried children of citizens. By voting against the Feinstein Amendment, Sen. Abraham voted in favor of a system of chain migration that has been the primary reason for annual immigration levels snowballing from less than 300,000 in 1965 to around a million today. In 1996 the bi-partisan Barbara Jordan Commission recommended doing away with the adult relative categories (begun only in the 1950s) in order to lessen wage depression among lower-paid American workers. The Feinstein Amendment attempted to carry out that recommendation. The Feinstein Amendment would have had an overall impact of reducing U.S. population growth by about 1.2 million over 10 years, but it was defeated by a vote of 26 to 74. Click here to see a detailed description.

Voted in 1996 to continue chain migration

Sen. Abraham voted against the Simpson Amendment to S.1664. It was a vote in favor of a chain migration system that has been the primary reason for annual immigration levels snowballing from less than 300,000 in 1965 to around a million. Senator Abraham supported provisions that allow immigrants to send for their adult relatives. Then each of those relatives can send for their and their spouse’s adult relatives, creating a never-ending and ever-growing chain. The bi-partisan Barbara Jordan Commission recommended doing away with the adult relative categories (begun only in the 1950s) in order to lessen wage depression among lower-paid American workers. The Simpson Amendment attempted to carry out that recommendation. But Sen. Abraham helped kill the reform by voting with the 80-20 majority against the amendment. Sen. Abraham’s vote helped continue a level of immigration that the Census Bureau projects will result in a doubled U.S. population in the next century. See detailed description

Senator Fred Thompson – Senate Votes: 1996

Opposed Simpson and Feinstein Amendments / Supported Abraham amendments

View Fred Thompson’s Immigration Voting Profile: http://profiles.numbersusa.com/improfile.php3?DistSend=TN&VIPID=743
Americans for Better Immigration, a strictly non-partisan organization with no preference for one party or another, provides a report that compares candidates’ positions on various immigration issues to help citizens know who is most likely to work for reducing overall immigration so citizens can factor that information into their voting decisions. These positions have been ascertained by looking at actual voting records and statements in the media.

ABI provides a Congressional Immigration Reduction Grade on each candidate. The grade reports for Simpson, Feinstein, Abraham and Thompson for the 104th Congress (1995-1996) indicate that Simpson and Feinstein sought reduction and reform while Abraham and Thompson opposed them. The following ABI grades are ranked from highest to lowest for these 4 senators during the 104th Congressional session followed by a table showing a side by side comparison for each senator:

Alan Simpson: Grade = A
1995-1996 (104th Congress)

Reduce Chain Migration = A+
Reduce Visa Lottery = A+
Reduce Unnecessary Visas = A+
Reduce Fraud: Refugee & Asylum = A+
Reduce Enticement – Illegal Immigration: Amnesties= No Vote
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Anchor Baby Citizenship = No Vote
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Other Awards = A-
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Border Enforcement = A+
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Interior Enforcement =A+

See: http://grades.betterimmigration.com/view_history.php3?District=WY&VIPID=887

Dianne Feinstein: Grade = A
1995-1996 (104th Congress)

Reduce Chain Migration = A
Reduce Visa Lottery = A
Reduce Unnecessary Visas = A
Reduce Fraud: Refugee & Asylum = A
Reduce Enticement – Illegal Immigration: Amnesties= No Vote
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Anchor Baby Citizenship = No Vote
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Other Awards = A+
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Border Enforcement = A+
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Interior Enforcement =A+

See: http://grades.betterimmigration.com/view_history.php3?District=CA&VIPID=46

Spencer Abraham: Grade = C+
1995-1996 (104th Congress)

Reduce Chain Migration = C
Reduce Visa Lottery = C-
Reduce Unnecessary Visas = D
Reduce Fraud: Refugee & Asylum = C-
Reduce Enticement – Illegal Immigration: Amnesties= No Vote
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Anchor Baby Citizenship = No Vote
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Other Awards = A+
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Border Enforcement = A+
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Interior Enforcement =C+

See: http://grades.betterimmigration.com/view_history.php3?District=MI&VIPID=401

Fred Thompson: Grade = C+
1995-1996 (104th Congress)

Reduce Chain Migration = C
Reduce Visa Lottery = C-
Reduce Unnecessary Visas = D
Reduce Fraud: Refugee & Asylum = C-
Reduce Enticement – Illegal Immigration: Amnesties= No Vote
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Anchor Baby Citizenship = No Vote
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Other Awards = A+
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Border Enforcement = A+
Reduce Illegal Immigration – Interior Enforcement =C+

See: http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgrades.php3?District=TN&VIPID=744&retired=1

104th Congress – ABI Grades: Simpson (R-WY) Feinstein (D-CA) Abraham (R-MI) Thompson (R-TN)

[EDITOR NOTE: In the original article, there is a chart displaying the ABI (Americans for Better Immigration) grades of Simpson, Feinsten, Abraham, and Thompson.  Unfortunately, I'm having trouble getting it to format correctly and I will have to leave it out until I can fix it.  If I can fix it, I will either add it to this article or post it separately later.  In the meantime, the links which are below and in the original article will lead you to further information about the aforementioned senators' voting records on immigration.

The important thing to note is the following grades:

Simpson and Feinstein had overall grades of A while Spencer Abraham and Fred Thompson both had overall of C+

-SK Johnson]

Senator Alan Simpson Immigration Profile: http://profiles.numbersusa.com/improfile.php3?DistSend=WY&VIPID=887
Senator Dianne Feinstein Immigration Profile: http://profiles.numbersusa.com/improfile.php3?DistSend=CA&VIPID=46
Senator Spencer Abraham Immigration Profile: http://profiles.numbersusa.com/improfile.php3?DistSend=MI&VIPID=401
Senator Fred Thompson Immigration Profile: http://profiles.numbersusa.com/improfile.php3?DistSend=TN&VIPID=743