Speech #980281518

DC. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: The Committee on the Judiciary has now concluded its consultations with your representatives on the proposed refugee admissions for fiscal year The Committee feels that the proposed level of refugee admissions for fiscal year 198470.000reasonably reflects the existing international refugee situation. and will still well demonstrate this nations continuing humanitarian commitment to assist victims of persecution throughout the world. We note that of that total. not to exceed 10.000 admissions will be "earmarked" for the first time for the Orderly Departure Program from Vietnam. some of which admissions may be used to facilitate the departure of AsianAmerican children and those now in "reeducation" camps. The Committee commends the Administration for these new initiatives to deal with those two groups of refugees in Vietnam who are of special humanitarian concern to this country. We assume that these new Orderly Departure initiatives will contain controls sufficient to ensure that the program will meet American objectives rather than primarily those of the sending state. We note further that the Administration also proposes to make an adjustment to permanent resident status of up to 5.000 asylees during fiscal year 1985. which action will effectively provide a total of 75.000 "slots" for permanent resettlement in the United States for those who have fled political persecution in their own homelands. Our understanding is that as in the past. these levels represent ceilings on total admissions. not quotas. and that each case will be examined on its merits. We trust that the Administration will be mindful of the desirability of avoiding the buildup of large backlogs of approved refugees. especially in Southeast Asia. We understand that that processing structure necessarily results in a number of refugees being "in the pipeline" at the end of a fiscal year. but we question the wisdom of intentionally approving and removing to refugee processing centers. numbers in excess of the annual ceilings. This practice has the effect of obligating admissions before they have been the subject of consultation. These backlogs. and the pressure for additional numbers. are increased when we process in one fiscal year large numbers of refugees who are in the lowest priority categorythose designated as "P6s"-knowing there will be more refugees next year who will fall into the higher categories. This practice. which is occurring in the processing of Khmer refugees in Thailand. actually "mortgages" future resettlement numbers for refugees in high priorities and others who may have a stronger claim to Americas attention. We note finally that the Committee welcomes the opportunity to meet with Administration representatives again at midyear to review current developments. We deeply appreciated the attendance of Secretary Shultz at the Constitution hearing.