Speech #990081566

Everyone will recall the boatlifts of 1980 which brought thousands of Cubans and Haitians to Florida. Many of these people came to the United States with the understanding that they had this Nations approval. Indecisiveness and lack of immigration policy by the administration resulted in thousands believing that they had free passage into this country. Once in the United States. many of these people were given a special Cuban/Haitian entrant status by the administration. Almost all of these persons are known to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and they are recognized by the administration as a class who entered during the boatlift. My amendment would simply extend the date in S. 1200 for granting legal status to this group from January 1. 1981 to October 15. 1981. This means that any Cuban or Haitian who entered the United States before October 15. 1981. who is still physically present in the United States. and who meets U.S. immigration eligibility requirements would be eligible for legal status. The October date is important as it was then that the U.S. Government finally took definite action and started an interdiction program with the Haitian Government which authorized U.S. Coast Guard vessels to return undocumented Haitians to PortauPrince. This is a clear declaration of U.S. policy that it is illegal to enter without papers unless the alien has legitimate claims to asylum. Mr. President. I want to stress that these people are known to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and have been recognized by our Government as a special class. They have been in a legal limbo awaiting further action by the U.S. Government.