Speech #890019518

Mr. President. I introduce. for appropriate reference. private legislation for the relief of certain Yugoslav refugees residing in New York State. I have long been deeply concerned over the plight of refugees and escapees not only from Yugoslavia. but also from other totalitarian regimes. The question of involuntary repatriation of human beings to Communist nations is. in my judgment. a matter that should receive the very serious attention of the Congress. It involves a matter of our Federal Governments policy toward human beings in need. and. as this involves exchange of views with other nations. it involves issues of foreign policy. These bills would not be necessary if comprehensive immigration reform legislation similar to S. 500. introduced by the Senator from Michigan on January 15. or S. 1093. which I introduced on February 10. had been enacted. These. along with other immigration reform measures are presently being considered by the Immigration and Naturalization Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee. The bills introduced today provide that. upon enactment. the named beneficiary shall be considered to have been paroled into the United States pursuant to section 1 of Public Law 86648. These bills would. if enacted. simply charge off the admission status of the beneficiaries to the parole allotment of the United States under this law. and not reduce the regular Yugoslav immigrant quota. These 29 refugees have been in our country for a varied period of years. They have excellent records during their stays here. These bills are necessitated by wholesale movement of Yugoslavian merchant marine workers into this country. This movement of Yugoslav refugees has raised material questions in our Nation with respect to giving aid to the refugees from Communist terrors. Tito very definitely controls a tight Communist state.