Speech #980281517

Chairman. I now turn to the proposed admissions ceilings for the geographic regions of the world. East Asia: To lessen the Indochinese refugee burden on Thailand. Malaysia. Indonesia. the Philippines and Hong Kong. the U.S. has maintained a relatively high rate of resettlement from the region. We believe that admission of 40.000 refugees in fiscal 85 is our fair sharea level equal to the number of refugees we expect will be admitted by the rest of the refugee resettlement countries combined. This should encourage other resettlement nations to continue to participate in resettlement from Southeast Asia. Processing by Immigration and Naturalization Service officers has been smooth and efficient during fiscal 84. thanks in part to improved case work by the voluntary agency representatives in the field and to the effect of the revised INS refugee processing guidelines issued in August 1983. We should not lose sight of the fact that it is Hanois oppressive policies toward its own people and its military occupation of its neighbors that must cease before there can be a lasting solution to the Indochinese refugee crisis. It is these policies which are the root cause of the continuing exodus of refugees and the unwillingness of the people who fled Vietnam. Kampuchea and Laos to return to their homes. I turn now to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Despite its international obligation under the Helsinki Accords to allow freer immigration. the Soviet Union continues to prevent Jews and other persecuted minorities from leaving. We have urged the Soviets to honor their agreement and to issue exit permits to those who wish to leave. and I intend to make this point with Foreign Minister Gromyko when I meet with him at the United Nations. The severe Soviet restriction on Jewish and other immigration regrettably reduces the need again this year for proposing a large refugee admissions ceiling for Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. On the other hand. we want to maintain a sufficiently high ceiling to accommodate the normal flow of refugees from the countries of Eastern Europe. We estimate that a ceiling of 9.000 admissions should be adequate for this purpose. Near East and South Asia: The Near East and South Asia region has several major refugeeproducing situations. particularly in Afghanistan and Iran. In most cases. the refugees coming from this area are able to find continuing asylum in the region. We estimate that a refugee admissions ceiling of 5.000 will be sufficient to provide for those persons requiring resettlement who are of special concern to the United States. especially persecuted Iranian religious minorities such as the Bahais and persons from Afghanistan whose positions in former Afghan governments or association with the United States make them particular targets of persecution. Turning to Africa. the generous hospitality of African countries of first asylum and some limited possibilities for voluntary repatriation have mitigated the need for any significant resettlement outside of Africa. However. there remains a relatively small number of African refugees for whom asylum or integration in the region is not feasible. We are proposing a ceiling of 3.000 for Africa to accommodate these special cases. Finally. we are requesting 3.000 admissions for potential refugees from Latin America and the Caribbean who might require resettlement in the U.S. This is an increase of 2.000 over fiscal 84 and should be adequate to permit the admission of refugees for whom resettlement in the United States is the most appropriate option. I will now discuss briefly English language training and medical programs for refugees. Mr. Chairman. we have dedicated significant time. money and effort to developing programs to help refugees prepare for their new lives in America. For example. in 1985 we anticipate further improvements in both the EnglishasaSecondLanguage and Cultural Orientation programs and in the medical screening program. The Department of State is concerned with the quality of refugees preparation for life in the U.S. and the thoroughness with which medical problems are detected and treated. These programs have a direct impact on the success and cost of refugee resettlement in the United States. and I believe the Japanese have made some very substantial contributions in this effort. Once refugees arrive in our country. there begins the important task of helping them become selfsufficient. During the reauthorization deliberations for the Refugee Act. it became abundantly clear that the Congress desires a strengthened role for the private sector in assisting refugees to start to build productive. selfsufficient futures in their new country. The Administration concurs wholeheartedly with this goal. While the proposed admission of refugees in fiscal year 1985 is the focus of this hearing. it represents only one part of the U.S. refugee policies and programs and approximately onethird of the $335 million of the 1984 refugee budget. About twothirds of that budget. $227 million. is the U.S. contribution to international assistance for the worlds estimated eight million refugees. Most U.S. assistance is channeled through international organizations. As in past years. the U.S. will contribute about 30 percent of the total budget of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Other contributions will be made to the International Committee of the Red Cross. the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration. the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees. and the UN Border Relief Operation in Southeast Asia. We were very pleased that the UNHCRThai government antipiracy program was renewed for another year in June. We will continue to support all efforts to eliminate pirate attacks. and to ensure that the unfortunate victims of these attacks receive necessary counseling and improved medical care. As in past years. we will provide assistance to the nearly three million Afghan refugees who have been generously given asylum by Pakistan for almost five years. In the Near East. the U.S. will continue to fund about 25 percent of the budget of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees which provides education and health services to two million refugees. President Reagans proclamation of this past July 9th as African Refugees Relief Day symbolized a continuing commitment by the United States to assist the over two million refugees in Africa. The recent Second International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa set new goals for helping refugees in Africa to achieve selfsufficiency and for assisting African first asylum countries. The U.S. delegation to the conference led by Attorney General Smith. strongly supported these goals. Our refugee programs in Central America support our overall objective of strengthening the forces of moderation against extremism of both the left and the right. Our assistance for El Salvadors displaced persons helps those who have fled guerrillainfested villages for areas more firmly under government control. thereby strengthening President Duartes government. Our assistance for Nicaraguan refugees in Honduras and Costa Rica keeps the flame of freedom alive for people like the Miskito Indians who have fled Marxist repression. Our assistance also benefits individuals who are potential victims of rightwing violence or who are simply fleeing the depredations of vicious guerrilla conflicts. By maintaining our first asylum policy and supporting refugee centers located in Central America. we also ease the pressure of more massive illegal immigration the United States. The U.S. refugee program has enjoyed broad bipartisan support over the years. and under the leadership of President Reagan I can assure you that it will continue to be given high priority within the Administration. We are indebted to the great work of many dedicated Senators and Congressmen. I would like to salute in particular the leadership of the House Judiciary Committee by Chairman Rodino and the distinguished work in the Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees and International Law by Chairman Mazzoli and Congressmen Fish. Lungren and McCollum. The efforts there have done much to advance the cause of enlightened refugee policy in the United States. In the Senate. I would like to express my gratitude and deep respect to you. Mr. Chairman. Senator Kennedy. and Chairman Thurmond for your work in the field of refugee affairs. I know there are many other members of both Houses who have devoted their time and energy to the delicate and difficult task of refugee admissions and assistance. but I think it is fitting that the gentlemen I have mentioned are singled out for special praise. On behalf of the President. I urge the Congress to continue its strong support for the refugee program and to assist in providing the budgetary and admissions resources which will be required to carry it out. We believe the 1985 admissions program we are discussing today and the 1986 program which is currently being developed within the Administration will be sufficient to meet anticipated refugee needs and to launch the initiatives I have discussed earlier. In order that the Congress and the Administration may continue to work jointly on the refugee program. we would be prepared at midyear to meet with the relevant committees of both Houses to review our progress. particularly with regard to the initiatives with the Vietnamese. We can all take justifiable pride that the United States is recognized throughout the world for its leadership in humanitarian assistance to and protection of refugees. We have given much to help the refugees of the world. but we have also benefited from the talents and hard work of the many refugees who have been accepted for resettlement in the United States. I thank the Congress and the American people for making it possible for us to meet the awesome challenge of aiding the worlds refugees. Thank you. Mr.