Speech #1010049507

This legislation is in response to a human tragedy whose toll has been growing ever larger during the past year. The real tragedy. however. Is the fact that our own Government. through the Immigration and Naturalization Service. is at the heart of the problem. For over a decade. we have pressed the Soviet Government to improve the standards of human rights within its borders. We have paid particular attention to the plight of Soviet Jews. who have suffered terribly under a variety imperial Russian. and Communist Soviet Government. Now. when the doors are finally beginning to swing open for those who seek a better life elsewhere. the INS has determined that centuries of persecution do not qualify the Soviet Jewish community for refugee status in the United States. Mr. President. if Soviet Jews do not have the "wellfounded fear of persecution" required for admission to the United States as refugees. then I dont know who does. Indeed. the record of oppression of Jews had gotten worsenot betterunder President Gorbachevs policy of glasnost. The problem is that the new freedom of expression that Soviets enjoy has given vent to the deep seated antiSemitism which permeates Russian society. The recent growth of Pamyat. a thinly veiled antiSemitic organization. attests to this dangerous trend. Mr. President. the persecution of Evangelical Christians. ethnic Armenians. and Ukrainian Orthodox Catholics in the Soviet Union is another problem which the INS has recently overlookedalong with the terrible refugee situation in Southeast Asia. This amendment will help us keep Americas promise of freedom for those fleeing from persecution. I regret that the INS has chosen a course which seemingly puts Justice Department budget constraints ahead of this Nations commitment to human rights. By extending the resumption of a wellfounded fear of persecution to these groups for the next 3 years. we will keep our doors open to those in need while postponing final decisions on refugee policy. Mr. President. this amendment corrects a bad course being taken by the INS.