Speech #1010111177

Peoples Republic of China officials are said to be gathering evidence against students involved in demon. strations in this country. presumably to be used against them when they return to China. The concern that Chinese students feel about what could happen to them upon return to China is very real. There are approximately 32.000 Chinese students In the United States on J. exchange visitor. visas. The terms of this visa prohibit the holder from applying for a change of immigration status until it is established that the person has resided in his or her home country for at least 2 years following their departure from the United States. Waivers. under current law. are very hard to come by. Without this legislation Chinese students. present in this country with expiring J visas. will be faced with the untenable choice of returning to despotic. potentially dangerous conditions in China. or remaining in the United States in illegal immigration status. without the ability to work legally or to travel. The administrations effort to resolve this problem creates more problems than it resolves. First. the Deferred Enforced Departure Program set up by the Attorney General would require applicants to declare their unwillingness to return to China. thereby creating additional dangers for their families back in China. Second. the program would require the students to relinquish permanently their current lawful status thereby abandoning their ability in the future to adjust to some other legal status. We all hope that circumstances will change in China in the not too distant future. and that a more humane and enlightened government will come to power. Until that time however. we must take some responsibility for the safety of the Chinese students who are currently in the United States on the Exchange Visa Program. We must be sure that we are not requiring them to return to a country in which they may face incarceration or worse. I urge your favorable vote on this conference report.