Speech #1010246252

I have also had the opportunity to visit Salvadorans and the social workers. attorneys. religious leaders. and other volunteers who are working with them. The stories that many of these people tell of the violence and persecution in El Salvador are terrifying and heartbreaking. I am sure many of my colleagues in the Congress have also gone into their communities and have talked to these Salvadoran refugees about their reasons for fleeing El Salvador and their fears of returning. This legislation ensures that these scared. desperate people are protected. The crisis facing Salvadoran refugees is a real one. Under current administration policies. the odds of a Salvadoran refugee being granted asylum are extremely low. For example. between June 1983 and September 1989. only 1.004 Salvadoran asylum requests were approved compared to 37.666 denials. This translates to an approval rate of 2.5 percent. In fiscal year 1989. only 337 Salvadoran asylum requests were approved compared to 13.861 denials and 19.929 cases pending. This translates to an approval rate of 2.3 percent. Section 303 of the bill before us specifies that nationals of El Salvador who have been continuously present in the United States since September 19. 1990. would be granted temporary protected status [TPS] for 18 months and given work authorizations. provided the alien registers within a 180day registration period beginning January 1. 1991. Such a registration system provides a means by which the United States can maintain accurate records of Salvadorans in this country while at the same time provide them with safe haven. In addition. it will facilitate the return of Salvadorans when the period of temporary protected status expires. This bill also establishes a statutory framework under which the Attorney General may designate other foreign states whose nationals may be eligible for TPS. These guidelines include: First. ongoing armed conflict which poses substantial threat to personal safety. second. an earthquake. drought. or other environmental disasters resulting in substantial. but temporary. disruption in living conditions. third. a foreign state is unable to handle. temporarily. the return of aliens who are nationals of that state and the foreign state officially requests TPS. and fourth. extraordinary and temporary conditions in a foreign state that prevent nationals from returning safely. unless permitting the aliens to remain in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States. In addition. the Attorney General must submit an annual report to Congress on the operation of TPS. Following the submission of each report. the Congress will hold hearings to consider the findings of the Attorney General and recommend any legislation it deems appropriate. I would like to point out that this legislation is not a substitute for political asylum.