Speech #1010094092

I oppose H.R. I urge my colleagues to join in my opposition to H.R. 3506. Its blanket. preferential treatment undermines the comprehensive and fair asylum system established by the Refugee Act of 1980. by focusing on the nationality of the alien rather than on the merits of the Individuals circumstances. Congress passed the Refugee Act of 1980 to replace piecemeal and nationspecific legislation for refugees. The act established a system whereby any personregardless of odgincan apply for admission to the United States based on fear of persecution. H.R. 3506 directly circumvents this casebycase system of review on the merits. The administration opposes H.R. 3506 because it undermines the Refugee Act of 1980 by favoring blanket suspension of the immi. gration laws. it is nationspecific and thereby encourages further nationspecific legislation. it limits the Presidents foreign policy prerogatives. and because it inappropriately directs the GAO to investigate treatment of certain foreign nationals. By staying the deportation of possibly hundreds of thousands of persons. the legislation undermines the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Under IRCA. in order to obtain amnesty. illegal aliens had to prove that they have continuously resided in the United States since before 1982. A grant of EVD would extend special privileges to Salvadorans and Nicaraguans. regardless of when they came or why. The 1986 act granted a onetime amnesty program which passed the House by only 5 votes.