President. I want to join my colleague. the Senator from Wyoming . in voicing my opposition to this amendment. It really turns the clock back on our efforts to treat all refugees from all countries fairly and equitably. It undermines The Refugee Act of 1980which seems to have become fair game on this bill. That act mandates that we treat all refugee and asylum claims the same. from whatever country. It also stipulates that we shall not return any person seeking asylum on our shores who can claim a wellfounded fear of persecution and who would face danger if he or she were returned to their country. It doesnt take this amendment to do that. That. Mr. President. is our international obligation as a signatory to the "United Nations Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees"-which was incorporated into our immigration laws by the Refugee Act of 1980. Finally. I am astonished anyone would propose that we treat refugees fleeing Communist persecution any differently than we treat refugees fleeing persecution of the left or right. Why not add Iran. South Africa and Chile to the list of countries identified in this amendment? Surely refugees from those countries are deserving of our humanitarian concern. It is time we stop. through ad hoc amendments. picking and choosing which refugees should be helped. to the exclusion of others. It is time we stopped interfering with the effective implementation of the Refugee Act. as the pending amendment so obviously does. Mr. President.
Keywords matched
Refugees Refugee immigration asylum claims seeking asylum refugees refugee