However. Mr Chairman. in light of recent pronouncements by our Government that extended voluntary departure status will not be given to Salvadorans. we believe that legislation is the only avenue of action left. The administration recently announced that that no Nicaraguan with a wellfounded fear of persecution will be deported and that every qualified Nicaraguan seeking a work permit would receive one. It is not clear if the Attorney Generals order is a restatement of current United States policy or if it is a new policy toward Nicaraguans. If it is a new policy. it is not clear how it is to be implemented. In practice. it seems to be a mere restatement of current U.S. policydemonstrate a wellfounded fear of persecution or be deported. Just last week. Nicaraguans who are currently being detained in Texas attempted to find out what the Attorney Generals order meant. They were told by the Immigration and Naturalization Service that the order "did not specify that all detained Nicaraguans would be released." instead the order is being considered by INS as a reaffirmation and strengthening of existing policy. Indeed. the INS is now awaiting further clarification of the Attorney Generals order. Mr. Chairman. it sounds to me as if the administration has not made any change in its policy toward detained Nicaraguans. It has merely told Nicaraguans that if they conform to existing United States refugee policy. they will not be deported. I want to focus my remarks on the provisions of the bill that relate to those displaced Nicaraguans in the United States. There are an estimated 150.000 Nicaraguans now living illegally in the United States. They are under the constant threat of apprehension and deportation. The basic question is. Why are those people here?
Keywords matched
Immigration Naturalization deported deportation work permit refugee