Speech #1050099736

President. it is a privilege to join Senator GRAHAM. Senator MACK. Senator ABRAHAM. and Senator MOSELEYBRAUN in introducing legislation providing permanent residence to Haitian refugees. The Senate has now adopted legislation to enable Nicaraguan and Cuban refugees to remain permanently in the United States as immigrants. and to enable Salvadorans and Guatemalans to seek similar relief on a casebycase basis. Haitian refugees deserve no less. These families fled violence. torture. murder and other atrocities in Haiti. The Bush administration and the Clinton administration found that the vast majority of these refugees fled from Haiti because of a legitimate fear of persecution. These deserving Haitian refugees have resettled in many different States. They brought with them an unparalleled love of freedom. and a strong commitment to our democracy. They honor the opportunity that America offers. They were welcomed by churches and neighborhood groups. who have helped them rebuild their lives in communities across America. Today. they are contributing and valued members of our society. Immigration relief for Haitian refugees should have been included in the legislation to assist the refugees from Central America. President Clinton wrote to Speaker GINGRICH to emphasize the importance of comparable relief for Haitian refugee families at a time when Congress was acting on relief for other refugees. Haitian refugees deserve the same immigration opportunities that the Republican leadership is proposing for refugees from Central America. But the Republican leadership in Congress said no. They even rejected our efforts at least to provide immediate relief from deportation for Haitian families. While the Republicans said no to these refugees. I understand that the Clinton administration will be taking steps to assure these Haitian families that they will be protected from deportation while Congress considers legislation in the coming months to allow the families to seek permanent residence here. And I commend Senator MOSELEYBRAUN for her extraordinary leadership in working with the administration to achieve this important result. as well as Representative CARRIE MEEK for her tireless efforts for Haitian refugees. The legislation we are introducing will provide the fair relief that is greatly needed. It is a matter of simple justice.