Speech #1050099651

Mr. President. this appropriations bill contains immigration provisions to provide muchneeded protection from deportation for Central American refugee families and an opportunity for permanent residence in the United States under our immigration laws. This legislation is an important step. and I commend Senator MACK and Senator GRAHAM for their extraordinary work and leadership in helping these refugee families and for bringing this issue before the Senate. I deeply regret. however. that these provisions dont go far enough. Last year. Congress changed the rules and broke the faith with thousands of refugee families from Central America and Haiti who fled civil war. death squads. and oppression. They found safe haven in America. and they have contributed significantly to the United States and to communities across the country. They were allowed to remain in the United States under bipartisan immigration rules established by President Reagan. affirmed by President Bush. and reaffirmed by President Clinton. But last year. the Republican Congress withdrew the welcome mat. Now. these deserving families who have suffered so much are suddenly faced with deportation. They had been promised their day in court. but that day has been unfairly denied. This legislation is a frank admission by the Senate that last years immigration law treated these families unfairly. and that something must be done to correct this grave injustice. But instead of correcting the injustice for all refugees. Republicans now propose to pick and choose among their favorite Latino groups. and deny any relief to Haitian refugees at all. Republicans want a blanket amnesty for Nicaraguans and Cubans. but far less for Salvadorans and Guatemalans who also faced oppression and civil war. They also provide protection from deportation for Eastern European refugees. but nothing for those who fled for their lives from Haiti The Republican proposal is unjust and shamefully discriminatory. These refugee groups faced similar circumstances and have a similar history. First the Reagan administration. then the Bush administration. and then the Clinton administration assured them that they could apply to remain permanently in the United States under our immigration laws. Under those laws at that time. if they have lived here for at least 7 years and are of good moral character. and if a return to Central America or Haiti will be an unusual hardship. they are allowed to remain. Last years immigration law eliminated this opportunity for these families by changing the standard for humanitarian relief. It said the families had to live here for 10 years. not just 7. to qualify to remain. It created a much higher standard for proving that their removal from the United States would pose a great hardship to the family. It limited the number of persons who could get relief from deportation to only 4.000 per year. All other families would be deported. even if they otherwise qualified for relief under this program. Americans across the political spectrum have called on Congress to ensure that the rules are not changed unfairly for these families. President Clinton has urged Congress to give them the day in court they have been promised for the past decade. They include people such as Zulema. who fled to Miami in 1986 to escape civil war. Her husband and four children are all legal permanent residents of the United States. They have their green cards. Two of the children are now serving in the U.S. Army and have been stationed in Bosnia. But Zulema still does not have her green card and faces deportation. Her family escaped war and persecution. They rebuilt their lives in America.