Harry Reid: Political asylum system

September 20, 1993

Just when the American people think nothing can be more absurd than the way we deal … or rather don’t deal … with illegal immigration, they discover that we have a political asylum system that would qualify us for Senator Proxmire’s Golden Fleece award a thousand times over. I don’t know why he didn’t make this award. He should have. Last year more than a hundred thousand people showed up in this country landing at her airports, washing up on our shores in leaky boats, crossing our borders illegally, overstaying their visas, saying two magic words — political asylum — and virtually assured themselves of being allowed to remain in the United States forever. Anyone, no matter how specious the claim, can utter those words and usually within a matter of hours be released on their own recognizance onto the streets of our country with a promise that they’ll show up for hearing 18 months later. Can anyone really say they’re surprised that the vast majority of asylum applicants never ever show up for these hearings?

Harry Reid

See what else Harry Reid has said about illegal immigration.

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