Speech #1010036767

Japan. Saudi Arabia. and West Germany provide lower levels of assistance than we do. In addition to assistance in the asylum camps. refugees need help to reestablish themselves in a permanent environment. The best solution is usually voluntary repatriation to the home country when conditions there improve. This is the solution of choice for the five million Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan and for most of the four million displaced Africans. Integration into the country providing asylum is also a good solution in regions where tribal or cultural boundaries spill over national borders. Resettlement in a third country is a much more disruptive and expensive option that is now generally reserved for political refugees. Although very much in demand. this solution is offered to only about 1 percent of the refugee population each year. Political refugeesdefined as people who have fled persecution. or who have a wellfounded fear of persecution because of race. religion. nationality. membership in a particular social group. or political opinionoften have little choice but to seek admission from one of the few countries willing to accept the expense and the obligations of refugee resettlement. The U.S. has welcomed over 2.5 million refugees for permanent resettlement since the end of World War II. an unequaled record. In recent years. we have accepted between 60.000 and 75.000 annually. Refugees represented about 10 percent of our total legal immigration in 1988. Their talent and hard work have made valuable contributions to our economic. social. and cultural life. The U.S.. however. cannot admit all the deserving refugees who want to come here. Unlike regular immigrants. most refugees admitted here receive financial assistance to cover transportation. subsistance. and resettlement co3ts. At approximately $8000 per refugee. funding Is a serious problem. The annual refugee ceiling. established by the administration in consultation with Congress. represents an effort to strike a balance between our compassion and available resources. This spring. the President requested authority to raise the 1989 ceiling to accommodate a surge In Soviet applicants. But It is much easier to authorize