According to a U.N. report. over 1.000 political prisoners were being held in El Salvador at the end of last year. most of whom are accused of a crime called "subversive association." They continue to be held. without being tried or convicted. and many have endured beatings and torture because they are suspected of being sympathetic to the leftist opposition. Mr. Chairman. Americans cannot. in good conscience. send innocent human beings back to this kind of situation. Salvadorans have a well founded fear of persecution. just as President Reagan has acknowledged that Nicaraguans do. I strongly believe that the United States must embrace a humanitarian policy and grant a temporary stay of deportation to both Nicaraguans and Salvadorans. These people deserve the assurance that they will not be victimized when they return to their homelands. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 618.
Keywords matched
deportation