Speech #890258476

Mr. President. earlier today I introduced a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act. and permit the adjustment of status of Cuban refugees in the United States. My bill eliminates the technical requirement which requires aliens such as Cuban refugees to leave this country and reenter in order to become eligible for permanent residence and eventual citizenship. I do not question this requirement for aliens who come to our country through normal procedure and in casual circumstances. and then elect to have their status adjusted to that of permanent resident. I believe. however. the requirement has little justification in the case of refugees from Cuba. Their entry into this country is anything but normal and casualthey are under duress and fleeing oppression. I should point out the bill I am introducing today would make retroactive the refugees application for adjustment of status. to the time of his last entry into the United States. This is just and equitable. The talents of many Cuban refugees are going to waste because State professional licensing laws keep those without permanent residence status from practicing their skills and professions. This situation. and the expensive and laborious procedure to obtain this status under present law. is keeping refugees in various difficult circumstances. which do not befit our humanitarian traditions. I am thinking of examples all over our country. where. because of their immigration status. qualified Cubans have been unable to teach Spanish in the local schools. I am thinking of similar problems involving Cuban doctors. dentists. nurses. lawyers. skilled workers. and others. It is obvious that such refugees could fill an urgent need in our society if given the opportunity for adjustment of status. Moreover. the parole status of many Cuban refugees has inhibited the rather substantial Federal program of assistance administered by the Department of Health. Education. and Welfare. The purpose of this program is to give effective asylum by providing the refugees with opportunities for selfsupport. Approximately $42 million in Federal funds were spent in the last fiscal year in the Cuban refugee program. The figure for the current fiscal year will approach $51 million. and officials in the executive branch have indicated a rise in that amount can be anticipated for fiscal year 1968. These sizable amounts indicate clearly the importance that these funds be directed toward making the refugees selfsufficient. so that we can anticipate a decline in expenditures in future years. The bill I offer today will be extremely helpful in this matter. I would also hope. Mr. President. that legislative action on adjusting the status of Cuban refugees would encourage the resettlement of some refugees to other countries in this hemisphere. where refugee talent would contribute to economic. political. and social development. Today. however. refugees are hesitant to leave the United States. Under their present immigration status as parolees. they are not assured of reentry if. for valid reasons. they choose to return. My bill will help to remedy this situation. Mr. President. for some time I have been very much concerned with the problem I have outlined today. and as chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Refugees and Escapees. have conducted a number of hearings in Washington and elsewhere which dramatically document the need for the legislation which I have proposed today. Recently. on July 14. Secretary of State Dean Rusk in response to questions before the subcommittee on refugees said he placed a "high priority" on legislation to adjust the status of Cuban refugees. and he strongly urged the Congress to take action in this important matter. Legislation is also supported by the Departments of Justice. and Health. Education. and Welfare. The adjustment of status for Cuban refugees has been pending in the Senate since February 1962. when our very able and distinguished colleague and former chairman of the Subcommittee on Refugees. Senator HART. first introduced a bill for this purpose. And I want to pay tribute to the Senator from Michigan for his leadership in this area. The Senate. in fact. provided for the adjustment of status for Cuban refugees in the general immigration bill passed during the last session. Unfortunately. this provision was deleted at the last minute in Congress. I am delighted to note that hearings on this subject are being held in the other body. As Senators know. the record in the Senate is rather extensive on this matter. In order to consider the bill which I introduced today. and another related bill. of which I am a cosponsor. the distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee. and chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration. has scheduled a public hearing to be held on Tuesday morning August 16. The witnesses will Include officials from the Department of State. the Department of Justice. the Department of Health. Education. and Welfare. and a representative from the American Council of Voluntary Agencies. Legislative action adjusting the status of Cuban refugees in the United States is long overdue. and I hope the Senate will quickly reaffirm its consensus of 1965 on this matter.