Mr. Chairman. the amendment that I am offering is a simple. straightforward provision that follows from the remarks of the majority leader. I have the only provision that will be heard today on this bill that grants temporary protected status to Haitians fleeing violence and persecution in Haiti until such time as a democratic government is restored. Why is the amendment needed? It is needed because there is an emergency. Haitians are dying on the seas. and they are being murdered and tortured in their country simply for supporting democracy. Haitians are willing to risk the sharks at sea rather than face their military at home. That should tell us what we need to know about the bravery and the desperation of Haitian refugees. I ask for the support of the Members for this amendment because the bill before us without this provision ts so limited. and I say this with all due respect to my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee. that it is a hollow mockery of its stated goal to protect Haitians. The reason is that. because this bill applies only to Haitians who left Haiti before Feburary 5. 1992. it will apply ultimately to practically no one. Last night Chairman BROOKS said there were about 3.000 refugees covered. but as we speak. Haitians are being forcibly returned to Haiti. We should treat them no differently than the way we treat other refugees. Many of the Members of this body voted as I did to grant the same identical temporary status to Salvadorans in 1980. We should do no less for the Haitians and remember that never before in history have we turned refugees back to an illegitimate government. Mr. Chairman.
Keywords matched
temporary protected status refugees