Speech #920067141

I recall that one of my first tasks as President Kennedys Secretary of Health. Education. and Welfare was to organize and administer a program to assist the refugees as they tried to enter the mainstream of American life. Even before I had a chance to settle down to my new duties. President Kennedy asked me to personally go to Miami. and assist the local and State authorities. The President deeply believed. that we in this country had an obligatiton to the Cuban refugees and should make every possible effort to alleviate their burden. I went to Miami and spent considerable time with the Federal. State. and local authorities who were trying to bring order to a chaotic situation. Florida was the natural place for these refugees to come. because of its proximity. its weather. and the large Cuban community. In order to take some of the pressure off the State of Florida and the city of Miami. we established a program to spread these refugees throughout the United States. During the 10 years. the program has been in operation some 200.000 refugees have been able to move throughout the United States. What struck me at that time was that the flood of people we were taking in for humanitarian reasons contained some of the most able. dedicated individuals this Nation had ever seen. Although the flow of escapees has included persons from all walks of life. the men and women have always had a higher skill level than would be found in a perfect cross section of the Cuban population.