Speech #960300377

Speaker. I wish to commend my colleague from Wisconsin. Congressman SENSENBRENNER. for his comprehensive list of detailed recommendations for improving the management of the Cuban refugee problem. As he has noted. it is particularly appropriate that he address these problems. as a Wisconsin member of the Judiciary Committee. In a way. he is filling the leadership void being left by the chairperson of the Subcommittee on Immigration. Congressman HOLTZMAN. who is leaving the House. Despite passage of the Refugee Act earlier this year. there remain many serious issues of immigration and refugee policy that we simply must address. In fact. this whole area cries out for congressional leadership. and I am glad to see my colleague from Wisconsin providing that tonight. I have previously stated to the House my belief that this years special Cuban refugee problem stems initially from a gross failure of the Castro regime. Our overriding policy should be to focus attention on that fact. in this hemisphere and around the world. Our failures in supervising the boatlift and handling the Cubans after arrival detract from that effort. As to the refugees themselves. aside from those we let Castro force upon us in order to embarrass us in return. most were voting with their feet and fleeing a failed regime. They should be treated not as permanent immigrants but as temporary political exiles. awaiting a change in government before returning eventually to their homeland. I have even suggested that if they wish to form a government in exile. we should look favorably upon it. If Fidel Castro wants to play games with us. I see no reason why we should not raise the costs to him where feasible. Finally. it seems to me that this years Cuban episode is just one more example of a serious double standard that afflicts our entire immigration and refugee policy. We have a strict policy standard for the Eastern Hemisphere and a loose policy or no policy at all for the Western Hemisphere. Eastern Hemisphere immigrants have quotas. health tests. screening procedures. sponsor requirements. and the like. while hordes of people from this hemisphere come in illegally or semilegally and are tolerated or even encouraged. The administration does not spend all the money appropriated for border surveillance and the Social Security Administration has not even done much of a job of preventing illegals from getting cards. The whole system breeds an unhealthy disrespect for the law.