I applaud Mr. BERMAN and LAMAR SMITH. the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. for coming together as they have to end the absurdity that now exists with respect to South African government officials who want to visit the U.S. Like other freedomfighting groups that should be laudednot penalizedmembers of the ANC have been effectively ensnared by the overbroad "terrorism" provisions in our immigration laws. These provisions have prevented the U.S. from admitting and offering protection to many innocent people. including some of the worlds most vulnerable refugees. Caught up in these definitions have been the Hmong and the Montagnards. brave men and women who fought alongside our troops in Vietnam. the Alzados who fought for freedom against Castros regime in Cuba. and the Chin and the Karen who tried to free themselves from a repressive Burmese government. Until recently. our immigration laws labeled all of their actions as "terrorist activity." simply because they used weapons to fight for their freedom. In the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act. we finally began to address these issues. freeing many of these groups from this problem. With todays bill we now join the ANC to their ranks.
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immigration refugees