It is the law of the United Nations. It is this group of people that I have Just described to whom we and the rest of the world provide a very special protection. If our refugee laws were to provide protection to every single resident of a country in turmoil. then our refugee laws would become absolutely meaningless because we could not hope to accommodate or provide meaningful assistance to that large a number of people. In short. we would be overwhelmed. I work very closely with a marvelous man. the chairman of the Commission on Refugee Policy. Immigration and Refugee Policy. Father Ted Hesburgh. a former president of Notre Dame. one of the most respected people. I think. in the United States. at least he is. in my mind. one of the finest. We are fortunate that the Creator put him here to work with the rest of us in his perceptive and extraordinary way. I remember we talked about these things. we talked about the overwhelming problems that could come to the worldand they are coming and will come. But I think. therefore. we must focus our refugee benefits on those people who would face a particular individualized fear of mistreatment if returned to Haiti or to any other country. In fact. we have a wellfounded idea of who these people are in Haitihighlevel members of President Aristides governmentofficials of trade unions. and other popular organizations which were his strongest supporters. owners. operators. and employees of Haitian radio stations. the most persuasive form of communication in Haiti. and other Haitians involved in political opposition to the current military government. However. refugee status is neither warranted nor necessary for the protection of every single person who had to have the misfortune to be living in Haiti when the coup occurred. That is the mistake that this bill makes. It requires that no foreign national may be returned to Haiti until the situation becomes more settled. Finally. let me point out one part of the bill that might be confusing. The KennedySimon bill does not terminate automatically on February 21. 1992. indeed not. Instead. it would indefinitely prohibit us from returning any Haitian national no matter how flimsy his or her claim to refugee status until certain country conditions are met in Haiti. Mr. President. when was the last time that countrys conditions improved?
Keywords matched
Immigration Refugee refugee