Speech #980177335

Mr. Speaker. I am very concerned by the current Immigration and Naturalization Service policy of sending Salvadoran refugees in the United States back to El Salvador. in view of the substantial evidence that these refugees lives are endangered when they arrive in El Salvador. It is difficult to obtain full documentation of the degree of risk that our current policy presents to these individuals. However. the Center for Immigration Rights has studied a list of 2.500 deportees. The preliminary results indicate that 50 appeared on death lists compiled by independent Salvadoran human rights organizations. In other words. 2 percent of the deportees studied were killed. Because the records are not always reliable. the total number of victims in this group could be higher. In response to this study. a spokesman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service reportedly stated: Just because those people were returned and may have become innocent victims of some level of random violence in El Salvador does not mean the judgment on their asylum claims was inaccurate. I strongly disagree with this view. If we have reason to believe that a policy of deporting refugees from the United States may lead to death for 2 percent of them. it seems to me that a study of this policy is not too much to ask. and that while the study is going on. the policy should be suspended. That is exactly what H.R. 4447 would do: It would suspend the deportation of Salvadorans from the United States pending a study of the conditions they face. Accordingly. I was pleased to join our colleague from Massachusetts. Mr. MOAKLEY. as one of the original cosponsors of this bill. I hope the scheduled hearings on H.R. 4447 will increase the awareness of the serious dangers that face these refugees. I would also like to bring the attention of the House to two resolutions from my home State concerning this issue. The Washington State Legislature adopted House Joint Memorial 37. which urges the Federal Government to grant extended voluntary departure status for Salvadoran and also Guatemalan refugees in the United States. The Seattle City Council approved a similar resolution. As both resolutions note. local church groups in Washington State feel so strongly about this issue that they have offered sanctuary to these refugees even though the Immigration and Naturalization Service views sanctuary as a violation of the law. The two major Seattle newspapers have also questioned the current policy. As one stated. the refugees are "hapless participants in a deadly game of Salvadoran roulette." I hope we will all join in support of a change in the current policy. I commend the resolutions by the Washington State Legislature and the Seattle City Council to my colleagues attention: