Mr. President. 3 weeks ago. as part of our immigration reform package. the Senate adopted provisions to protect Chinese students from deportation for the next 4 years. This language. which was sponsored by the two leaders and augmented by the Senator from Washington and others. generously allowed the students to remain in the United States permanently if after that time it was still unsafe for them to return to China. Mr. President. the Nation was shocked when the Peoples Liberation Army stormed Tiananmen Square and brutally subdued those who stood bravely for the cause of freedom. That action made necessary the steps which the President has taken to allow Chinese students to remain here and the additional immigration protections adopted by the Senate last month. And events in China in recent daysthe arrests of prodemocracy demonstrators and the harrassment of students and their familiescontinue to move the American people and continue to suggest the need for offering protections under our immigration laws. Both the House and the Senate have now debated various ways of protecting the students for the long termto provide them with the assurances they need to get on with their lives. The determination of Congress to assist and protect the students is unquestionable. and all Chinese students in America should be reassured by that commitment. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Refugee Affairs. I will continue to work with members on both sides over the coming weeks to develop a common formula for such protection. But I believe it is important that we get to the President this week. for his signature. those legal steps urgently needed now to protect those students.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration deportation Refugee