Speech #940054038

Part of the problema large part of the problemwas of our own making. Instead of evacuating those whose lives CXXI----858--Part 11 would be endangered under Communist rule and then leaving for the United States. our ships stayed off the shore of South Vietnam and took aboard anyone ingenious enough to find a way to reach them. As a result. among the refugees already in the United States or waiting on Guam. there are many who not only would be safe in their own country. but who also may not qualify for immigration to our country. Newspapers have carried numerous stories of prostitutes who managed to escape. and title 8. United States Code. section 1182. specifically prohibits "aliens who are prostitutes or who engage in prostitution" from entering the United States. The same prohibition applies to persons guilty of crimes of "moral turpitude." which would seem to cover those highranking South Vietnamese Government officials involved in the corruption that played such a large part in the downfall of their country. I have been informed that. partially because of the emergency nature of the situation. all the refugees could be allowed into the United States for 2 years. However. at the end of those 2 years. they would have to apply for permanent visas. and at that time. some would be denied residence here. That eventuality leads to this question: If we are going to exclude some of the refugees in 2 years. why not make the current screening process thorough enough to exclude them now? By closing our eyes to the fact that not all the refugees may deserve admittance to the United States. we are merely postponing a potentially serious problem. And worse. we are doing a disservice to the majority of the refugees who truly need asylum here. and who are anxious to begin their lives as productive residents of America. Vietnam was a tragic and painful experience for the United States. We lost over 56.000 men. and invested over $150 billion. It is also tragic and painful for the South Vietnamese refugees. Many of them lost all their wordly possessions. and all have lost their country. I want very much to help those who need our help. but I doubt if we are helping them by providing a blanket asylum that may cover some South Vietnamese who exploited their own countrymen and their American allies during the warand whose personal conduct is held in disrepute equally by Americans and South Vietnamese. The United States has always welcomed the oppressed peoples of the world. and it will continue to do so. But let us guard against having our humanitarian tradition abused by any who should not be included In the numbers of deserving refugees.