Speech #1040204687

When we break it all down into individual cultures. Balkanize these great States that were fought so hard for In this Chamber to unite and to unite in the great melting pot. we do a disservice. We are about to pass what many in this body will describe as a tough illegal immigration bill. and it will be. and it will pass. whatever form it is. Win or lose your amendments. forget it. It is an accomplishment that we will proudly reflect to our constituents. But remember this: We take in more asylees than all the rest of the countries on Earth. total. We take in more refugees than all the rest of the countries on Earth. total. We take in more immigrants than all the rest of the countries on Earth. total. period. Finallyyou have all heard that a thousand times--and it is very important to someone listening. wherever these words fall. this bill explicitly provides that this special exclusion procedure does not apply if the alien has a credible fear of persecution on one of the required groundsrace. religion. membership in national organization. and so on. Therefore. nearly the entire argument of the Senator from Vermont. my friend. vests on the inadequacy of the procedure provided in the bill to determine whether an alien has a credible fear of persecution--that is the intent of the Senator from Vermont. saying It is inadequate. Let me read the standard that would be used by the specially trained asylum officers to determine whether an applicant for asylum has a credible fear of persecution and therefore should receive a fullfullasylum hearing and not be subject to the special exclusion. I cite the language in section 193 on page 173 of the bill. lines 6 through 14. saying: As used in this section. the term "credible fear of persecution" means that (A) there is a substantial likelihood"Substantial likelihood" that is. that the statements made by the alien in support of the aliens claim are true. and (B) there Is a significant possibility in light of such statements and of country conditionsWhich will be determined by the State Department. that the alien could establish eligibility as a refugee within the meaning of section 101(a)(42)(A). That is what this bill provides. It is not some swift or harsh provision. And this bill does not gut our asylum laws. The bills provisions bring some sense and effectiveness to our asylum laws. These are laws that have been effec. tively gimmicked over the years because 400.000 backlogged asylum cases can well attest to that. As my friend from Vermont says. if a person is fleeing for his life because of religious beliefs and must use forged papers and travel through several countries to get here under the bill that person will be summarily sent backit is not so. If such a person arrives under the provisions of the bill he or she would get a hearing before a specially trained asylum officer. And if he or she had a credible fear of persecution. and there was a substantial likelihood the facts are true. as I have just cited. he or she will be permitted to remain in the United States and have a full asylum hearing when he or she is prepared and ready. with counsel. So.