Mr. Speaker. today we are once again scheduled to take up consideration of H.R. 3810. the immigration bill. I believe that immigration reform is essentialas we all know. it is also very controversial. Negotiations on the more controversial aspects of this bill have been successfully completed. and we will see action on this bill. As an active participant in the ongoing debate over immigration reform. I have consistently attempted to focus attention on several aspects of illegal immigration which have been consistently overlooked. Two of my amendments have been incorporated into the text of the bill which we are considering today. Both of these amendments address important issues in immigration reform. The first amendment exempts Cuban political prisoners from certain visa restrictions. Presently the INS will not give visas to individuals who are trying to enter this country from a third country. Thus Cuban political prisoners who have successfully left Cuba and made it to another country such as Panama or Mexico are denied visas to enter this country. This action effectively turns these individuals back over to Castrothey have left Cuba with the goal of achieving freedom in this countryand then they are denied that freedom. The policy of this administration. designed purportedly to punish Castro backfires and the people who suffer are the Cuban political prisoners who so desperately need our help.
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immigration illegal immigration visas visa