Speech #890297282

President Johnson reaffirmed Americas concern for the plight of the Cuban people. and our continued willingness to welcome those who sought asylum in the United States. Through negotiations conducted by the Swiss Ambassador in Havana. a memorandum of understanding was concluded with the Cuban Government on November 6. 1965. The memorandum provided for an orderly entry. by airlift. of some 3.000 to 4.000 refugees monthly. Since December 1. more than 36.500 Cubans have arrived in Miami to be reunited with their families. In the early days of the exodus. and during the period when American consular offices were still open In Cuba. Cuban nationals applied for regular immigrant visas. and many were admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Others arrived with visitors visas. and were subsequently permitted to remain in this country. The bulk of the refugees. however. entered the United States pursuant to section 212(d) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. which authorizes the Attorney General to parole aliens into the United States without the benefits of an immigrant visa. The Immigration and Naturalization Service reports that nearly 200.000 refugees are currently in parole. or other nonimmigrant status. The provisions of existing law preclude such alienlike any native of the Western Hemispherefrom adjustment of status in the United States. Such aliens are required to leave this country. and apply for an immigrant visa at a consular post abroad. If their applications are approved. they are permitted to reenter the United States as permanent residents. I do not question this procedure for aliens who come to our country through normal channels and in casual circumstances. and then elect to become permanent residents. I believe. however. the procedure has little justification in the case of refugees from Cuba. Their entry into this country has been anything but normal and casualthey were under duress and fleeing oppression. Moreover. the procedure in existing law is timeconsuming. and places a heavy financial burden on a people dispossessed by an oppressive regime in their homeland. Mr. President. the main purpose of the pending measure is simply to waive this procedure in the case of refugees from Cuba. who have been physically present in the United States for at least 2 years. The Attorney General. in his discretion. Is permitted to adjust the status of any native or citizen of Cubawho was admitted. inspected. or paroled into the United States--to that of permanent residence. as of the refugees last arrival in the United States. I want to emphasize that adjustment of status will not be automatic. The refugee himself must make application. and be otherwise eligible to receive an immigrant visa. In the case of any Cuban refugee who has previously been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. upon application of such refugee. the Attorney General is authorized to record the refugees admission for permanent residence as of the date of the refugees original arrival in the United States. or as of January 3. 1961. whichever date is later. The Congress has. in the past. granted similar relief through legislative enactment to refugees in the United States in temporary status. Legislation was enacted for Hungarian refugees in 1958. for certain refugees admitted under the socalled fair share law. and for refugees from countries outside the Western Hemisphere who are presently granted conditional entries under the Immigration Act of 1965. Mr. President. aside from the pending bills basic humanitarian objective. I believe it will help remedy a number of specific problems. First. the talents and experience 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. It is obvious that such refugees could fill an urgent need in our society if given the opportunity for adjustment of status. Second. this bill will facilitate 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. In the current fiscal year expenditures in the Cuban refugee program will approach nearly $51 million. and officials in the executive branch have indicated a rise in that amount can be anticipated for fiscal year 1968. It is important that every effort be made to direct these funds toward making the refugees selfsufficient. so that we can anticipate a decline in expenditures in future months and years. Third. I am hopeful that the pending measure will encourage the resettlement of some refugees to other countries in this hemisphere. where refugee talent would contribute so much to economic. political. and social development. Today. however. refugees are hesitant to leave the United States. As parolees. they are not assured reentry if. for valid reasons. they choose to return. Mr. President. as chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Refugees and Escapees. I have conducted a number of hearings in Washington and elsewhere which dramatically document the need for legislation to adjust the status of Cuban refugees. Recently. in response to questions before the subcommittee. Secretary of State Dean Rusk said he placed a "high priority" on such legislation and urged the Congress to take action. In a later hearing before the Subcommittee on Immigration and Naturalization. other officials from the Department of State repeated this call for action. and enactment of the pending bill. They were supported by officials from the Department of Justice and the Department of Health. Education. and Welfare. Representatives from the private voluntary agencies added their support as well. Legislation to adjust the status of Cuban refugees has been pending in the Senate since February 1962. when the very able and distinguished senior Senator from Michigan first introduced a bill for this purpose. And I want to pay tribute to Senator HART for his leadership in this area. I would also remind Senators that the general immigration bill which passed this body during the last session included a provision for adjustment of status. Unfortunately. it was deleted at the last minute in conference. Mr. President. although the pending measure applies primarily to the refugees from Cuba. I would also point out. that in committee it was amended to cover. as well. bona fide refugees from the Dominican Republic. who fled to the United States in the period immediately following the Dominican revolution in The bill was also amended to include the substance of H.R. 12596. which passed the other body on August 1. 1966. This would adjust the status of natives of the Western Hemisphere. physically present in the United States. whose petitions for adjustment were pending on December 1. 1965. the effective date of the Immigration Act of 1965. This act does not provide for adjustment procedures for natives of the Western Hemisphere. Mr.