Speech #960247046

Mr. Speaker. on March 17. 1980. the President signed into law the Refugee Act of 1980 (Public Law 96212) which provided a comprehensive procedure for the admission and domestic resettlement of refugees. The law itself. the accompanying legislative history and certain informal agreements reached in the full committee and on the floor set forth a consultation procedure to be followed with regard to refugee admission programs. The legislation specifically requires the President to initiate consultation and report to the Judiciary Committee prior to the fiscal year "regarding foreseeable number of refugees" to be resettled during the fiscal year and "the anticipated allocation" of the refugee numbers. In addition. for the remainder of Piscal year 1980. the President was required to consult within a 45day period after the bill was signed into law. The act also envisioned the continuation of the traditional consultative practice employed in the past by the House Judiciary Committee involving "in person" discussions between a Cabinet official and the chairs of the full committee and the Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees. and International Law. together with the ranking minority members of the full committee and the subcommittee. The act also requires a hearing to review the proposed determination as discussed in the consultation sessions with the Judiciary Committees and the printing of the substance of the conIn accordance with the requirements of the act. the Chairs and the ranking minority members of the full committee and the subcommittees met with Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti. Victor H. Palmieri. U.S. Coordinator for Refugee Affairs. and Nathan Stark. Under Secretary of HEW on April 22. 1980. OXXV----870---Part 11 to consult on the refugee admissions program for the remainder of fiscal year In summary. the administration proposed the admission of 117.416 refugees for the last 6 months of fiscal year 1980 for a total refugee admission level for the entire fiscal year 1980 of 231.700. Their figures included 3.500 Cuban refugees to be admitted in response to the Cuban nationals who sought refuge in the Peruvian Embassy in Havana. Following is a brief description of the major refugee groups covered by the administrations proposal: A. Indochinese Refugees.-The proposal calls for a continuation of the 14.000 monthly level originally announced by the President in Tokyo last June. There are currently some 230.000 boat and land refugees in the various countries of first asylum in Southeast Asia120.000 from Laos. 100.000 from Viet Nam. and 10.000 from Kampuchea (this last figure does not include the 150.000 Khmer refugees in Thai holding centers and several hundred thousand refugees clustered ilong the ThaiKampuchea border). The number of Indochinese refugees in asylum countries has been reduced by 130.000 refugees since last summer. as a result of the expanded United States program (14.000 per month) instituted last October and the improved response of the international community since the Geneva Conference on Indochinese Refugees held last July. B. Soviet Refugees.-The proposal calls for the admission of 15.000 such refugees for the last six months of FY 80 as compared to 18.000 for the first six months. The reduced flow is based on the recent decline in the number of Jews permitted to leave the Soviet Union. The Administration has indicated. however. that It is prepared "to consult with the Congress on additional refugee admission numbers" and to "seek additional funds" if there is an increase in Soviet emigration levels. In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Secretary of State Vance noted that they are prepared to take the aforementioned actions in order "to accommodate all Soviet Jews who seek admission to the United States." While the vast majority of Soviet refugees are Jewish. there are also Armenians and members of certain Christian groups who are also admitted under the Soviet program. C. Eastern European Refugees.-The proposal calls for the admission of 3.000 such refugees for the second half of FY 80 (as compared to 2.000 for the first half). Romanian refugees are the largest group admitted to the United States under this program. It is estimated that approximately 1200 such refugees will be admitted this year. As the result of Most Favored Nation treatment granted to Romania under the Jackson/Vanik amendment. that. country has permitted increasing levels of persona- to emigrate. The Administration has indicated that they will consult with Congress for additional refugee numbers and funding if the level of Romanian emigration increases beyond current levels. Other Eastern European refugees who have traditionally been admitted. and will continue to be admitted. under this proposal are those from Czechoslovakia. Poland. Hungary. Bulgaria. and Albania. As with the Soviet refugees. Secretary Vance stated before the Senate Judiciary Committee that "the policy of the United States has been to accept all Eastern European refugees who wish to come to this country subject to eligibility under the law. The Administration proposes to continue this policy." D. Middle East Refugees.-The proposal calls for the admission of 2.000 such refugees for the last half of FY 80 (as compared to 500 for the first half). These numbers will be allocated among several groups. but the primary beneficiaries will be Assyrian Christians who left Iraq and are now in Greece and Iraqi Kurds who are currently in Iran. E. Cuban Refugees.-The proposal calls for the admission of 10.500 such refugees for the second half of FY 80. This includes some 7.000 under the "Old" program and 3.500 under the Presidents "New" program announced two weeks ago. P. Latin American Refugees.-In addition to Cuban refugees. the Administration proposal calls for the admission of 936 refugees from Latin America for the last half of FY 80 (as compared to 64 for the first half). Under this socalled Hemispheric Program. political detainees in Argentina have been processed for entry into the United States as well as political detainees from Chile. At the current time. the government of Argentina has refused to permit the emigration of a large number of approved cases. G. Haitian Refugees.-The Administration does not propose to establish any special program for Haitian refugees because of the State Departments position "that a significant number [do not] meet the eligibility requirement of the Refugee Act definition and [cannot I demonstrate that they are subject to political persecution in their homeland". The following excerpt from Ambassador Palmieris submission to the Committee explains the Administrations policy with regard to Haitian refugees. "We will continue our longstanding policy of examining on a casebycase basis applications for political asylum from Haitians already in this country. We are fully committed to affording political asylum to all Haitians who qualify. We will also begin accepting applications from Haitians in third countries who wish to enter the United States as political refugees. and will examine each case on its merits. As with refugees from Latin America and elsewhere. we will consider admitting Haitians who are to demonstrate that they are unable or unwilling to return to Haiti because of a wellfounded fear of political persecution. that they have a close association with the United States. that they have no other resettlement opportunities. or that there are other humanitarian reasons for admitting them to the United States as refugees." H. African Refugees.-The proposal calls for the admission of 1380 such refugees for the last half of FY 80 (as compared to 120 the first half). The largest number of Afrlcan refugees who will be admitted are Ethiopian refugees located primarily in Europe. There are smaller numbers of Ethiopian refugees in Somalia. Sudan. and Djibouti. During his Senate testimony. Secretary Vance indicated that the Administration plans to establish more comprehensive and equitable admissions criteria and that "we are strongly committed to expanding admissions of refugees from Africa". He also noted that INS will be establishing a presence in Africa and that "our experience in the coming six months should provide us with a sound basis for adjusting the (FT 80) number in calculating Y 1981 admission levels." The following chart summarizes the total refugee admissions contemplated for FY 1980: Approximate Approximate Approximate number to be Total number Approximate number to be Total number number admitted admitted of admissions number admitted admitted of admissions 1st half of remainder of for fiscal 1st half of remainder of for fiscal Area of origin fiscal year fiscal year year 1980 Area of origin fiscal year fiscal year year 0980 Asia ------------------------------------------------- ------------- 169. 200 Latin America ---------------------------------------------- -------- 17.000 Indochinese ----------------- 84. 000 84.000 (168000) Cubans -------------------- 9.000 7. 000 (16. 000) Other ----------------------- 600 600 (1.200) Other ----------------------- 64 936 (1.000) Soviet Union --------------------- 18. 000 15. 000 33. 000 Africa --------------------------- 120 1. 380 1. 500 Eastern Europe ------------------- 2.000 3. 000 5. 000 Middle East ---------------------- 500 2. 000 2.500 Subtotal--- ----------------1 14.24 113. 916 228. 200 Asylum status adjustments ------------------------------------------- 2.500 Total ------------------------------------------------------- 230. 700 A full committee hearing to review the administrations proposed refugee admissions program for the remainder of fiscal year 1980 was held on April 30. 1980. to comply with the second consultative ste mandated by the act. A transcript of that hearing follows for the information of all Members of the House: