Clinton 1995 State of the Union on Illegal Immigration

In his 1995 State of the Union address, President Bill Clinton took a notably firm stance on illegal immigration. The speech is frequently cited today because its rhetoric and policy goals mirror many modern debates.

Key Quotes from the 1995 Address

Clinton addressed the issue directly, framing it as a matter of the rule of law and economic fairness:

• On the Rule of Law: "We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years, and we must do more to stop it."

• On the Economic Impact: "All Americans... are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers."

• On Enforcement:  "Our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards, by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before, by cracking down on illegal hiring, by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens."

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His "Four-Point Plan"

Following that address, his administration emphasized a specific strategy to combat the issue:

1. Strengthening Border Control: Increasing the number of Border Patrol agents and using new technology (this era saw the start of "Operation Gatekeeper" in California).

2. Protecting American Jobs: Increasing worksite enforcement to ensure businesses weren't hiring undocumented workers.

3. Deporting Criminal Aliens: Prioritizing the removal of those who had committed crimes while in the country.

4. Denying Public Benefits: Clinton argued that undocumented immigrants should not be eligible for most welfare benefits (a policy later solidified in the 1996 Welfare Reform Act).