I rise in strong support of continued funding for the Targeted Assistance Program. State and local governments in Florida have footed the bill for the great majority of costs incurred as a result of the Mariel boatlift in 1980 and the Haitian influx that occurred during the same time period. Conservative estimates indicate that the State of Florida has spent close to $150 million in unreimbursed refugee and entrant costs that rightly should have been paid by the Federal Government. We in Florida fully understand our responsibilities. All we ask Is that the Congress recognize the Federal responsibility and act in a fair and equitable manner. South Florida has done a tremendous Job of absorbing the 135.000 Cuban and Haitian entrants who entered this country during a 6month period in 1980. These individuals have a legal Immigration statusentrantstatus pending. There are those who argue that after 5 years in this country. a refugee or entrant should be selfsupporting and the community should be back on Its feet. Well. I can tell you that State and local governments in Florida are still swimming upstream and shifting their budgets in order to provide certain members of the entrant population with adequate health care. day care. and employment services. and needed mental health and drug and alcohol counseling.
Keywords matched
Immigration refugee