In the interim. we must help those Haitians who have left their country because of fear. Mr. Speaker. under the Refugee Act of 1980. If a person has a wellfounded belief that he or she will be targeted for persecution based on political belief. race. or religion. that person qualifies as a political refugee and may be brought to the United States. Over 35 percent of the interdicted Haitians have been found to have a plausible claim to political asylum and 1.500 have been brought to the United States to pursue their claims. At present. the Coast Guard is returning about 2.000 people per week to Haiti. This bill reasonably delays repatriation of these people until the reports of reprisals against these people can be further investigated. This measure also urges the President and Secretary of State to Join the UN Conference on Human Rights in organizing an international conference to resolve the Haitian refugee crisis. Accordingly. I urge our colleagues to support the rule and the adoption of this measure.
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