Speech #1050102858

Mr. Speaker. yesterday. the House passed the D.C. appropriations bill which included the Victims of Communism Relief Act. giving Nicaraguans. Cubans. and refugees immigration amnesty. and Salvadorans. Guatemalans. and certain Eastern European refugees the opportunity to apply for suspension of deportation under the standards set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act prior to its amendment last Congress. Unfortunately. the bill did not include any relief for similarly situated Haitian refugees who fled persecution in their country and received protection in the United States. I am introducing the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1997 to resolve this inequity. After a September 1991 coup toppled the democratically elected government in Haiti. the number of persons fleeing Haiti by boat for the United States rose dramatically. During the Bush administration. over 40.000 Haitians were interviewed at Guantanamo Bay and approximately 10.000 Haitians met the "credible fear asylum standard and were paroled into the United States by the Attorney General. Thus. these Haitians are in the United States legally. as parolees. The parolee status of Haitian refugees has been regularly extended but "parolee" is considered a temporary position in immigration law. Specifically. the bill will adjust the immigration status of Guantanamo Bay Haitian parolees to legal permanent residents and permit Haitian asylees who are not otherwise covered by this act to seek equitable relief. In light of the amnesty the Nicaraguans and Cubans received. this legislation is the only solution to achieve equity and fairness for Haitian refugees. The bill is a bipartisan and bicameral effort and is strongly supported by the administration. Senators GRAHAM.