1996: Voted against the Simpson Amendment to end chain migration.
The Simpson Amendment to S.1664 (whose main sponsor was Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-Utah]) would have ended chain migration which the Census Bureau projects will double the U.S. population again in the next century. The Senate voted 80-20 to kill the reform sponsored by Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.).

1996: Voted against Feinstein Amendment which would reduce chain migration
Sen. McConnell voted against the Feinstein Amendment to S 1664 (whose main sponsor was Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-Utah]) that would have significantly reduced chain migration by lowering annual admissions of spouses and minor children of citizens to 480,000 a year. The Feinstein Amendment, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), was defeated by a vote of 74 to 26.

1996: Voted against the Simpson Amendment to reduce the immigration lottery.
The Simpson amendment to S.1664 (whose main sponsor was Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-Utah]) would have reduced the annual number of visas allocated to the lottery category from 55,000 to 27,000. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), failed by 80-20 on the Senate floor.

1996: Voted against the Feinstein Amendment which would eliminate the immigration lottery
Sen. McConnell voted against the Feinstein Amendment to S 1664 (whose main sponsor was Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-Utah]) that would have eliminated the immigration lottery and significantly reduced chain migration. The Feinstein Amendment, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), was defeated by a vote of 74 to 26.

1996: Voted in favor of bill that denied illegal aliens in-state tuition (Hatch)
Sen. McConnell voted in favor of S. 1664 (whose main sponsor was Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-Utah]) that denied illegal aliens in-state tuition, in addition to almost all forms of federal welfare.

1996: Voted in favor of bill to reduce illegal immigration with border control, such as increased Border Patrol forces (Hatch)
Sen. McConnell voted in favor of S. 1664 (whose main sponsor was Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-Utah]), a large omnibus bill with dozens of provisions aimed at reducing illegal immigration. It included major increases in Border Patrol forces. As well, it barred from any kind of legal entry for 10 years any illegal alien who had been apprehended and deported. S. 1644 passed by a vote of 97-3.

1996: Voted in favor of the Abraham Amendment, which would get rid of a voluntary workplace verification program
Sen. McConnell voted in favor of the Abraham Amendment to strip the voluntary workplace verification program from S. 1644 (Hatch). Workplace verification programs help reduce illegal immigration by withdrawing the job magnet from illegal aliens. The Abraham Amendment, sponsored by Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.), failed by a vote of 54-46.

1996: Voted in favor of bill to reduce illegal immigration using interior enforcement, such as restrictions on sanctuary policy (Hatch)
Sen. McConnell voted in favor of S. 1644 (whose main sponsor was Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-Utah]) a bill with dozens of provisions aimed at reducing illegal immigration. It included interior enforcement provisions such as restrictions against sanctuary policies for illegal aliens and employer sanction provisions. S. 1644 passed by a vote of 97-3.