Speech #1050099651

They have made worthwhile contributions to our communities. In fact. the assistant manager of Dade County in Florida estimates that Dade County would lose $1 billion in revenue if these families are forced to leave. But while offering assistance to Central American refugee families. the provisions of this amendment contain troublesome inequities that cannot be ignored. The Republican bill provides for casebycase consideration of the applications of refugees from El Salvador or Guatemala. Under current INS practices. less than half of those eligible to apply are expected to get their green cards. But refugees from Nicaragua and Cuba get a blanket amnesty. Refugees from all four countries fled violent civil wars. death squads. rogue militias. and violations of their basic rights. Their families suffered persecution and death threats. Once here. they followed the rules laid out by our Government. But now. one group gets green cardsno questions askedwhile the other is considered only on a casebycase basis. I am also concerned that this legislation does not also help refugees from Haiti. In the Bush administrationand again in the Clinton administrationHaitian refugees. like Central Americans. were granted temporary haven in America from the rampant persecution and violence in Haiti. Many Haitians risked their lives by opposing the forces of oppression in their country and standing up for democracy and freedom. Yet. this amendment does nothing for these deserving families.