Speech #890154457

Mr. Chairman. under leave to extend my remarks at this point. may I make further reference to the amendment of the gentleman from Florida to the paragraph appropriating funds for the Cuban refugee program. I am in complete sympathy with the purpose of the amendment. I do regard it as subject to a point of order and unnecessary as a part of the pending bill. I am advised that the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. the agency responsible for security clearance of all Cuban refugees entering the United States. already is doing and will continue to do what the amendment of the gentleman from Florida proposes to accomplish. I requested the Immigration and Naturalization Service to furnish me the steps involved in the screening of Cuban refugees for security reasons and have just received the following statement this afternoon: 1. Prior to departure from Cuba to the United States. identity of refugee will be checked against U.S. Government indices to see if derogatory information is contained concerning individual. Similar checks will be made by State Department of similar Visa Office records. 2. Where no derogatory information appears. primary selection will be confirmed and refugee will be examined comprehensively by immigration officer. 3. Upon arrival in United States. refugee will again be examined by immigration inspector to determine eligibility for admission under U.S. laws. 4. Refugee will be fingerprinted and photographed and detailed biographical data taken. These will be furnished to U.S. intelligence agencies for possible further identification in relation to any derogatory information. In event possible suspicion. matter will be referred to appropriate Government agencies for further interrogation. In any case where even remote doubt of eligibility exists for admission. refugee will be held in detention pending final determination. So. Mr.