This haven was not available 50 years ago. the last time European Jews sought entry to the United States to escape from tyranny. But the existence of this other haven should not. in my view. affect American policy. That policy. based on our fundamental values. and our longstanding policy to elicit greater Soviet emigration. should be to accept those persecuted persons who currently wish to come here from the Soviet Union. including every Jew and other religious believer.: I understand that the administration has been earnestly working in good faith to formulate a humane" refugee policy for the next year. I am prepared to work with the administration to find the resources to absorb a larger increase from the Soviet Union. Finally. while I understand the desire torsave the cost of care and maintenance of processing Soviet nationals seeking refugee status in Vienna and Rome. I have serious reservations about processing all future applicants in Moscow. I believe there is a serious risk that many religious believers will be too fearful to come forward and make the case that they are persecuted or have a wellfounded fear of persecutionright under the noses of Soviet authoritiesespecially if the administration does not reinstate the. presumption that they are refugees. These people will have to wait in the Soviet Union for adjudication as to whether they are persecuted or have a wellfounded fear of persecutionnot a very comfortable position. Plus. the likely backlog in these applications could make the wait a long one.
Keywords matched
emigration refugee refugees