Fourth. critics claim that there is no other place for these individuals to go and the United States must give them refuge. This is simply not true. Most areas in El Salvador are not unsafe and Honduras provides safe refugee camps open to all Salvadorans seeking haven. Mexico is also a "safe haven" for Salvadorans. and the U.N. High Commission for Refugees has established a presence in both Mexico and Honduras. On a recent visit to Central America. I was impressed that thousands of Salvadorans in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras were demanding an early return to their country. In sum. I do not believe this legislation is the solution. Passage of this legislation would send an explicit message not just to Salvadorans and Nicaraguans and others but to all that the United States Congress did not mean what it said in 1980 in passing the Refugee Act and has already started to undermine the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Mr. Chairman. what about the serious problems facing El Salvador and the administration of President Duarte? Ten percent of El Salvadors population are displaced either from civil strife or from the effects of the 1986 earthquake. Unemployment is high. and the return of a large number of Salvadorans would seriously strain the countrys capacity to cope. Congressman MAZZOLI of Kentucky. chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees. and International Law. Congressman SWINDALL. the ranking minority member of the subcommittee. and I have responded with "temporary safe haven" legislation. H.R. 2922.
Keywords matched
Refugees Immigration Refugee refugee