Speech #1030116382

President. I rise in support of the KassebaumSimpson amendment which was adopted on November 10. 1993. Our asylum system has been turned on its head in recent years as wouldbe immigrants have found it more attractive to come to the United States and claim asylum than to apply for refugee status abroad. or to enter through our regular immigration process. Mr. President. its more attractive because once they get into the United States. they then become entitled to all the due process our Constitution provides for American citizens. If they apply for refugee status abroad. and if they are then found to not have a wellfounded fear of persecution. they will be denied refugee status. and that is the end of it. However. if they can manage to get to the United States to claim asylum. they are then entitled to appeal after appeal. with the final decision made by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. This process can take years. and in the meantime. the alien has an opportunity to live and work in the United States. which was often the primary objective. The original purpose of asylum was to provide a refuge for people who found themselves In thu United States when conditions changed at home. making it unsafe for them to return. That is why we provided an annual allotment of only 5.000 asylum slots when we passed the Refugee Act of We have a separate refugee policy to enable people who are outside their countries of nationality. and who have a wellfounded fear of persecution. to apply for refugee status at our refugee processing centers. our Embassies. and our consulates abroad. We should not make it more attractive for aliens to enter the United States. legally of illegally. to apply for asylum. than it is for them to apply for refugee status abroad. I support the findings of the Kassebaum amendment. and I support the policy it proposes. We are currently working in the subcommittee. with the administration. to draft expedited asylum procedures for those aliens attempting to enter with fraudulent documents. or no documents. We are also drafting legislation to provide a more streamlined asylum process for those people already in the country who then claim asylum. This senseoftheCongress amendment expresses the appropriate policy. and one that Congress should support.