Speech #850063429

Mr. Speaker. today I have introduced a bill to extend the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 for some 58.000 immigrants cut off by termination of the act. Under terms of the bill. special nonquota immigration visas would be issued to spouses and minor unmarried children who for various reasons were left behind. when their breadwinner came to the United States under the Refugee Relief Act of 1953. Another section of the bill would grant special nonquota visas to "pipeline" casesthose people and their spouses and unmarried minor children whose assurances had been received and whose applications for entrance into the United States had begun to be processed. but who were unable to come to this country due to the expiration of the act. or the shortage of visas. Under both sections of the bill. the immigrant involved would be required to file an application. have assurances from American sponsors submitted and verified by State Department officials. and undergo investigations as provided in the Refugee Relief Act. An exception to this rule would be in cases involving immigrants for whom assurances had been submitted and verified under the old act. They would merely be required to have their original assurances reverified. If the old assurance were found to be no longer valid. however. a new assurance would have to be submitted and verified. All safeguards of the Refugee Relief Act. including thorough investigatory provisions are retained in the proposed act. which would terminate 2 years after the date of its enactment. The plight of families separated by expiration of the Refugee Relief Act is stark in the extreme. Many families sent their breadwinner on ahead to America. in full expectation the dependents could follow. only to be thwarted by the end of the act. a dearth of visas. or the complexities of the immigration laws. Today. those from countries with heavily oversubscribed quotas face years and years of separation from their loved ones while awaiting visas. We must end these heartrending separations. This country should also permit entrance to those pipeline cases whose hopes for coming to America were raised only to be crushed when quotas became filled. After having earned the privilege of a visa. they now face the prospect of waiting for years for such authorization. We should grant these people special nonquota immigration visas. According to estimates supplied by the Department of State. the following is a list of pipeline applicants who failed to obtain visas: Belgium -------------------------- 1.601 France ---------------------------- 2. 001 Germany -----------------------368 Great Britain ------------------ 1.563 Greece ----------------------11.323 Italy -----------------------24. 175 Netherlands ----------------------- 362 Norway -------------------------24 Sweden ------------------------402 Jordan --------------------------- 367 Kuwait --------------------------- 36 Lebanon -------------------------- 495 Turkey --------------------------- 20 Burma ----------------------------- 2 China ----------------------------- 694 Hong Kong ------------------13.357 Japan ----------------------- 1.865 Korea ---------------------------- 175 Singapore -----------------------29 Australia ------------------------ 6 Costa Rica ------------------------ 1 Spain ----------------------------- 2 Total ------------------58.868 Passage of this legislation could strike a telling blow for America at a time when we are the target of so much worldwide criticism because of the stringency and inflexibility of our immigration laws. By enacting this bill into law. we can thus help ourselves abroad by raising our prestige. andcan help ourselves at home by enriching our national blood with new and worthy citizens. It is my hope that early hearings can be held on this legislation. as well as all other legislative proposals which have been made to amend our immigration statutes. National Better Newspaper Contests