Speech #990117495

Mr. Speaker. for 3V/ years an affiliation of religious congregations known as the "Sanctuary Movement" has offered refuge to illegal aliens from Central America. especially from El Salvador. Eleven participants in that movement are now being tried for their activities in Tucson. AZ. and their trial has brought national attention to American policy toward undocumented Salvadorans. This issue is of particular interest to Congress because the [louse is considering a bill introduced by Mr. MOAKLEY. H.R. 822. which would suspend the deportation of Salvadorans until the General Account. ing Office had reported on Salvadorans who are displaced in Central America. ille. gaily in the United States. or deported from the United States back to El Salvador. and until the appropriate committees in Congress had considered this report and reported their own findings to their respective Houses. A hearing on H.R. 822 is being conducted today by the House Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees. and International Law. Each side of the sanctuary debate has accused the other of subordinating immigra. tion policy to foreign policy. and of ignor. ing or distorting the facts that should determine whether sanctuary is justified by purely humanitarian considerations. To evaluate these arguments. it may be useful to read an article by Miriam Davidson from the Christian Science Monitor of Oc. tober 22.