Speech #870159477

Madam President. I introduce for appropriate reference a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit the adjustment of status of refugees resident in the United States who are natives of countries contiguous to the United States or of any adjacent island. The exclusion of such aliens from adjustment of immigration status while in the United States from temporary status to permanent status stems from the assumption that investigations and determinations of eligibility can be better determined by the U.S. consular offices in the aliens native country. and with a minimum of inconvenience to the alien because his country is in close proximity to the United States. Since we have terminated diplomatic relations with Cuba. we. of course. maintain no consular offices in that country and Cubans cannot return to their native land to arrange for reentry into the United States as regular immigrants. The Subcommittee on Refugees and Escapees. of which I have had the honor of being chairman. recently conducted extensive hearings on the plight of the Cubans who have fled to the United States from the Communist regime of Castro. Over 94.000 Cubans are presently in the United States as nonimmigrants. parolees. or refugee overstays subject to voluntary deportation orders. The majority of them are concentrated in Miami. Fla. Most of them presently aspire to return to their native land when Cuba is freed from its present Communist tyranny. Until that happy day arrives. opportunities must be found for the Cuban refugees to find employment and pursue a reasonably normal life. At present. a major effort is underway to resettle them throughout the United States where employment opportunities exist. Some of them. however. wish to go to Central or South American countries where their familiarity with the Spanish language and Latin American customs are important assets. I believe that we should encourage democratic antiCastro Cubans to emigrate to Latin American nations. Certainly we could find no more effective spokesmen to describe the destruction of freedom under Castros brand of communism. Cuban refugees. however. are often hesitant to leave the United States without some assurance that they can return if necessary. Ordinarily. the breadwinner proceeds ahead to establish himself in the new country before calling his family to join him. In the event that the opportunity which he hopes to develop does not materialize. he wants the assurance that he can return to his family in the United States. Under the present law. there is no assurance that his immigration status of visitor. parolee. or overstay will permit his reentry into the United States. The bill which I now introduce would remedy this situation. It would permit Cubans as well as refugees from other adjacent Western Hemisphere nations to adjust their status without leaving the United States. They would be accorded no privilege not already enjoyed by most other aliens. In the event that political upheavals occurred in other countries in the Caribbean and some of their residents fled. to the United States for asylum to escape persecution. they also. as refugees. would be eligible for adjustment of status. I hope sincerely that the Senate and the House will act promptly to enact this legislation.