Speech #1010030745

Mr. President. I heartily support this resolution and I would like to comment on the situation in China. and address our immigration policy toward Chinese nationals who are physically present in our country. Attorney General Thornburgh has just announced a blanket grant of deferred departure for all Chinese nationals for the next year. While I certainly agree that we should accommodate many of the Chinese students and some of the visitors who are presently in our country. I object to this blanket grant of temporary immigration status. A blanket status always provides benefits to some number of people who do not require them. There are approximately 40.000 Chinese foreign students in our country. and over 200.000 Chinese visitors here for business or pleasure in our country. While generosity and compassion are clearly in order for Chinese nationals at this point in time. an overly broad response might well undercut the American publics support for proper responses under our immigration laws in the future. I strongly believe we should provide immigration relief for those Chinese students whose visas are about to expire and who might face potential violence or mistreatment if they were returned home. However. some regional universities in China have not been the scene of any violence whatever. and we should not automatically grant immigration relief to these persons. Instead. we should approach all requests for immigration relief on a casebycase basis. I have no problem at all with developing guidelines for people who are likely to face dangerthat is. students in the United States who have previously studied at a university in Beijing. However. I do not believe that ones mere nationality should qualify someone for automatic treatment. That is what we tried to avoid by passage of the Refugee Act of In short. I believe we should extend the assistance to Chinese foreign students who might face violence or mistreatment if returned. and then carefully review the situation to see if these benefits should be terminated. extended. granted to additional classes of people from China. However. the administration has extended the grant of immigration benefits too broadly. and I think we may regret that decision.