Mr. Speaker. only in America. while the administration continues to forcibly deport thousands of Salvadoran refugees back to their wartorn homelandand while they jail thousands of Central Americans in detention camps across this country. the INS District Director in Florida has granted political asylum to a Nicaraguan man and his family. after the man won $5.3 million in the Florida State lottery. The INS official apparently joked "the winner was too much of a capitalist to return to his Marxist homeland." Mr. Speaker. I do not know all the details of this particular case. There may well be a good reason for his request. However. its important to note that the State Department did not support this asylum application. But. it appears on the surface that. once again. the INS is demonstrating its compassion by playing games with our refugee laws. while ignoring the plight of the poor and oppressed. Mr. Speaker. Senator CLAUDE PEPPER and I have authored legislation in the House to temporarily suspend the detention and deportation of all Salvadoran and Nicaraguan "war refugees" in the United Statesand not just those who win lotteries. War and oppression are reasons we should help refugeesnot dollars and cents. Mr. Speaker.
Keywords matched
asylum application refugeesnot deportation refugees refugee