Mr. Speaker. 53 years ago. nearly 1.000 Jews fleeing Germany approached Miami aboard the ship St. Louis. only to be refused refuge by U.S. immigration authorities. Denied safety. the St. Louis returned to Europe where many of its passengers died in the Third Reichs gas chambers. Such deplorable action by the U.S. Government and others in part led to the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees. whose primary principle is that nobody should be returned to a country where his or her life or freedom would be threatened. Sadly. the tragedy of the St. Louis refugee ship is being repeated today as the Bush administration sanctimoniously declares that the Haitians fleeing their homes are not escaping political persecution. but instead are fleeing for economic reasons. The United States Government has determined that all Haitians fleeing Haiti by boat will be forcibly returned without determining what kind of risks they may face upon return. This new policy is inhumane and hypocritical. and it is a violation of international law. Tragically. the Bush administratino has little regard for international law unless it works to its own political advantage. And. although the immoral Haitian refugee policy is being challenged in American courts. the Supreme Court has refused to hear the Haitian refugee case on two previous occasions. It is therefore left to us. the U.S. Congress. to rectify this situation through legislation.
Keywords matched
Refugees immigration refugee