Speech #1050184117

They also cannot become permanent residents of the United States. which severely limits their opportunities for work and education. This situation is unacceptable and requires a more permanent solution. Before outlining how this bill will provide a permanent solution. it is important to review the evolution of deportation remedies. Prior to the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act in 1996. aliens in the United States could apply for suspension of deportation and adjustment of status in order to obtain lawful permanent residence. Suspension of deportation was used to ameliorate the harsh consequences of deportation for aliens who had been present in the United States for long periods of time. In September of 1996. Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act. This law retroactively made thousands of immigrants ineligible for suspension of deportation and left them with no alternate remedy. The 1996 Act eliminated suspension of deportation and established a new form of relief entitled cancellation of removal that required an applicant to accrue ten years of continuous residence as of the date of the initial notice charging the applicant with being removable. In 1997. this Congress recognized that these new provisions could result in grave injustices to certain groups of people. So in November of 1997. the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) granted relief to certain citizens of former Soviet block countries and several Central American countries. This select group of immigrants were allowed to apply for permanent residence under the old. preIIRRA standards. Such an alteration of HRRA made sense. After all. the U.S. had allowed Central Americans to reside and work here for over a decade. during which time many of them established families. careers and community ties. The complex history of civil wars and political persecution in parts of Central America left thousands of people in limbo without a place to call home. Many victims of severe persecution came to the United States with very strong asylum cases. but unfortunately these individuals have waited so long for a hearing they will have difficulty proving their cases because they involve incidents which occurred as early as 1980. In addition. many victims of persecution never filed for asylum out of fear of denial. and consequently these people now face claims weakened by years of delay. Mr.