Speech #1020129422

I take the well today to join my colleagues from New York in addressing the American people on a matter that I think is of utmost importance because it seems to me that what we have to do is to define and redefine what America is. I do not want to think that the color of the skin of the people or their ethnic origin has absolutely anything at all to do with the forced repatriation. I say to the gentleman from New York . it seems to me to be a selffulfilling prophecy. regardless if you take into consideration. and I have looked carefully at some of the work you have done on the Subcommittee on Immigration in the Judiciary Committee. the work they have done. but assume for the sake of discussion that the Bush administration is correct in their analysis that the people are fleeing from economic conditions rather than from political conditions. It seems to me though that to say that these people should be forced to be repatriated back to Haiti. when they have demonstrated that they want to leave Haiti. would not sit well with the people who are in control in Haiti. Can you just see them. regardless of what reason they have for leaving. being marched off those ships. those Coast Guard cutters. and being welcomed with opened arms by the same people. as the chairman has just said. who didnt have enough respect for democracy to allow a free election to stand. where the people in this country chose in a democratic way a president?