Mr. President. our Nation has expressed its concern on many occasions for those who seek to flee from oppression and totalitarianism in all its evil forms. However. there exists in our country today a small group of refugees from a Communist state who are faced with forceable deportation unless Congress intervenes in their behalf. These men are refugees from Yugoslavia. They are strongly opposed to the Communist regime in that country but because there is inadequate provision in our law for political asylum. they are about to be returned to the Yugoslav authorities. These men are farmers and fishermen. Their escape route was by the sea. At least two of them have been recognized as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. All of them profess strong opposition to communism and indicate a longing to remain in the United States. A number of active and vitally important relief agencies have urged assistance for these refugees. namely. the Catholic Relief Services. National Catholic Welfare Conference. the International Rescue Committee. and the American Council for Nationalities Service. The endorsement of these men by such highly respected and knowledgeable agencies is ample reason for a full inquiry into these cases before any order of deportation is enforced. Such an inquiry may indicate that compelling equities do not exist in every case to the same degree. But all of these cases deserve careful study before these men are forcibly deported back to a Communist state. The joint resolution I am submitting today will provide the basis for such a procedure. Mr.
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