Speech #1030124732

Mr. President. my remarks will be very brief. One could not have a more remarkable ally in immigration and refugee matters than the remarkable senior Senator from West Virginia. He took me under his wing. He was a member of the Judiciary Committee when I came to the Judiciary Committee. When he saw my interest in immigration reform. he came to me and said. "How may I best help?" And he did everything possible to help me. He cosponsored every measure. stuck with me through every type of situation. through Senate procedures. through conference committees. through final approvals. through veto threats. Senator ROBERT BYRD of West Virginia was at my side as an absolutely unfailing compatriot. When I produce the immigration bill that I have been working on for many months. I proudly will have his name as a cosponsor. So let me just thank him once again for the consistency and the passion which he puts in this issue. I think it is most appropriate that he presents this on behalf of Senator KASSEBAUM. because certainly he has been a leader. Certainly our asylum system has been turned on its head in recent years by use and misusemostly misuse. Wouldbe immigrants have found it more attractive to come to the United States to claim asylum than to apply for either refugee status or to come through the regular immigration process. It is more attractive because once they get to the United States. they become entitled to all of the due process that our Constitution gives to American citizens. These people who are in this country illegally and misusing asylum get all of the due process that we have. If they apply for refugee status while they are overseas. and they are found not to have a wellfounded fear of persecution. they are denied refugee status. And that is the end of it. There is no difference in the standard by which refugees and asylees are adjudicated. except that asylees are here in the United States and refugees are outside of the United States. Originally. you could not even be a refugee until you have left your own country. Now people wait ih their own country and are designated as refugees to come here. Others come here and say: I am here seeking asylum. Once in the United States they are entitled to appeal after appeal. with the final decision made maybe months or years later. They have the right to work.