Grassley Applauds Support for Study of Possible INS Office in Quad Cities

Grassley Applauds Support for Study of Possible INS Office in Quad Cities

Senator Plans Meeting with INS Commissioner to Appeal for Additional Personnel

?Sen. Chuck Grassley today said that senate appropriators have included language in the Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Appropriations Bill that directs the Immigration and Naturalization Service to explore the possibility of adding INS personnel in the Quad Cities. Grassley said he will personally meet with INS Commissioner James Ziglar on Thursday to appeal for a Quad Cities INS office.

"The action is a step in the right direction, but I intend to keep pressing the issue with INS officials because Iowans deserve better service," Grassley said. "INS has not kept pace with Iowa's changing demographics and it's left the state lacking in both service for legal immigrants and enforcement of the nation's immigration laws."

The Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee approved the INS language when they met Tuesday to consider spending legislation for the next fiscal year. The full Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to consider the bill on Thursday.

In March, Grassley wrote to senators on the Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee asking them to include language supporting additional INS service and enforcement personnel for the Quad Cities. The letter followed Grassley's initial request to Attorney General John Ashcroft for a Quad Cities INS office.

"A Quad Cities office would mean that individuals in Eastern Iowa working their way through the naturalization process would no longer have to drive hours in order to get their paperwork processed," Grassley said. "It would also mean better enforcement of laws designed to stop illegal aliens."