The distance from Haiti to Florida is just a little shorter than the distance between Vietnam and Hong Kong. Vietnam and Haiti are both poor. Yet in 15 years. between 850.000 and 900.000 Vietnamese left that nation by boat. and the United States granted admission to almost 600.000 Vietnamese refugees. The widespread lack of support for TPS In this House Is not based on prejudice. but a justifiable caution. On the other side of the spectrum. there are some who oppose this bill from a fear that Haitian refugees will require a disproportionate amount of welfare support in a society that cannot now afford generosity. To them I answer that only those who Indeed have a wellfounded fear of persecution will be entering the United States. The bill does not provide for the admission of the many Haitians at Guantanamo Bay who have not been screened by the asylum examiners of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Those who do not qualify for asylum or refugee status will remain temporarily outside the United States. Mr. Chairman. in this world of harsh dilemmas and uncertainties. where malign realities assault the best of ideals. there is no perfect response to this situation.
Keywords matched
Immigration TPS Naturalization refugees refugee