Speech #970068305

Mr. President. last week I introduced Senate Resolution 191 which would express the sense of the Senate that this countrys refugee resettlement program in Southeast Asia should be investigated immediately to ascertain whether the program is now being carried out in accordance with its original intent and with the provisions of the Refugee Act of 1980. Senators ZORINSKY and JOHNSTON have joined me in this effort. Mr. President. we have not offered this initiative lightly or without cause. I have been studying this issue for years and I have come into possession of a number of communications between officials of the U.S. State Department. the Justice Department. and the Immigration and Naturalization Service which relate to the implementation of our program in Southeast Asia. I believe that these documents and the information I have received proves conclusively that our Indochina refugee program is in violation of our immigration laws. Senate Resolution 191 has been referred to the Foreign Relations Committee and I am turning over this information to the committee for its use in considering the resolution. provided the confidentiality of the source is protected. I am also making this information available to the Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee which is now considering our immigration and refugee policy under the able chairmanship of the Senator from Wyoming . Mr. President. among the things indicated by this correspondence are: Serious concerns expressed by officials of the INS that the program is not now operating as originally intended nor in compliance with the Refugee Act of 1980. That the State Department has bullied the Attorney General into a ruling contrary to the law that has resulted in a directive to the INS to ignore the legal definition of "refugee" in processing migrants from Vietnam. Laos. and Cambodia for resettlement purposes. That officials of some countries involved in the resettlement programs and of the United Nations have serious reservations about U.S. refugee policies. These officials also believe that our liberal. openended resettlement program is actually attracting migrants and increasing the flow of refugees from Southeast Asia. That a U.S. ambassador vehemently prevailed on the State Department and on INS to automatically accept over 30.000 Khmer as refugees for resettlement in the northeast part of the United States. This was done even though most did not meet the definition of "refugee" and the action was opposed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. the Thai Government and originally by the State Department. That over 70 percent of the persons arriving at some reception centers are economic immigrants who do not qualify as refugees under our law. That many residents of some countries in the area are lured into the refugee camps in Thailand by the promise of food and then enticed into the resettlement program by voluntary agencies and State Department personnel. That many are apparently coached on how to answer INS questions in order to enhance their prospects for acceptance by the United States. That in their zeal to fill refugee quotas a person was presented to INS for refugee status even though that Person had left his country unwittingly because he was on a boat that was stolen and had from the beginning asked to be returned to Vietnam. Mr. President. it is clear that the mania of the U.S. State Department for filling the quota of 14.000 Indochina refugees per month for resettlement in this country has overridden the intent of Congress as expressed in the Refugee Act of 1980 and the wishes of the American people. It is also clear that our current policies are contributing to the migration problems in Southeast Asia and not to their solution. I would like to quote an experienced INS official who has long dealt with the Southeast Asia program who said the following: An unregulated openended policy to continue to accept applicants at 14.000 a month is an invitation which is irresistible and will encourage persons to depart these countries for some time to come. In accepting the applicant as a refugee we are treating the symptom which does not disappear. It is time that we look for a cure. A partial remedy is the statute itselfthe definition of refugee and that requirement that the refugee be of special humanitarian concern to the U.S. Mr. President. I think it is appropriate to remember that while most domestic programs are being severely cut as wo strive to balance the Federal budget. this State Department inspired refugee recruitment programs. with its tremendous cost to the taxpayer. continues unabated. The Indochinese refugee program alone has cost U.S. taxpayers approximately $2 billion since its inception. However. this particular program is only the tip of the iceberg. In fiscal year 1980 alone. the United States spent $2 billion for all our refugee assistance efforts and this type of expenditure is expected to increase to at least $2.5 billion in fiscal year 1981. Mr. President. with all of us awaiting the much delayed announcement of the new administrations immigration policy. it is important that we reassess our current programs. For that reason. I hope that Senate Resolution 191 will receive prompt attention in the committee and will be available for floor action in the near future. While we can continue to be the most generous country in the world in accepting and assisting bona fide refugees. we can no longer afford an unlimited program which is selfperpetuating. Mr. President.