Speech #890148705

Mr. President. of the many thousands of unaccompanied children who were sent to the United States by their parents in the early days of the Castro regime. I am thinking of the many refugee families whose normal breadwinner. or whose mother. remains outside this country. I am thinking of the thousands of political prisoners. many with close relatives in this country. who suffer harsh treatment in Cubas jails. If we have a reasonable assurance that a formula can be found to reunite refugee families. and to gain the release of political prisoners. no effort should be spared in pursuing this objective. The Subcommittee on Refugees has long believed that our Government should seek a formula to facilitate family reunion among Cuban refugees in the United States. Very recently. in a report issued last June 25. the subcommittee recommended as follows: The subcommittee urges that appropriate officials in the executive branch give earnest attention to finding a formula which will restore family unity to Cubans in the United Statesespecially the thousands of unaccompanied children and the families whose normal breadwinner remains outside this country. This recommendation. Mr. President. followed the subcommittees intensive inquiry into the Cuban refugee problem. and the program to assist these refugees and encourage their resettlement throughout our country. Hearings conducted under the able chairmanship of Senator PHILIP A. HART have indicated that one of the impediments to the resettlement program and the adjustment of many Cubans to life in this country. has been the fact that many of the refugees are separated from immediate family in Cuba. Understandably. the situation has been especially difficult for the unaccompanied children. whose tragic plight claims the sympathy and concern of all Americans. Mr. President. more than 250.000 Cuban refugees have been granted asylum in this country since Castros rise to power in 1959. The influx was small in the early days of the Castro regime. but increased rapidly as the Cuban revolution gained momentum and its Communist totalitarian character emerged. For nearly 2 years. beginning in late 1960. arrivals In Miami numbered some 1.500 to 2.000 persons weekly.