<<  <  >  >>

Page 2

Introduction

Throughout its history, the United States has been a

refuge for oppressed peoples from around the world.  The

Pilgrims, the Quakers, the Amish, and countless others came

to these shores in centuries past, while in the more recent

past immigrants have been Cubans, Jews, Southeast Asians,

and others.  What those diverse people shared was a belief

that America could offer them refuge from government oppres-

sion.

Many people worldwide today face similar oppression;

they live under governments that forbid them to freely

exercise rights that Americans hold dear as fundamental

freedoms and persecute them when they try.  We grant politi-

cal asylum to such persons: as a nation, we believe that

government oppression because of one's race, religion,

political opinion, nationality, or social group is wrong.

Oppression undermines our fundamental values.  Thus, we

traditionally have granted sanctuary to victims of human

rights abuses from around the world.

Through its refugee and asylum protection policies, the

United States has always been at the forefront of protection

issues, serving as a leader in garnering international

attention and responses to refugee and humanitarian emergen-

cies around the world.  America's example has great influ-

ence on how other countries respond to refugees.

Notwithstanding this grand tradition of leadership in

refugee protection, portions of a law passed by Congress,

the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility

Act of 1996 (IIRIRA),1 impose procedural hurdles that in

many cases may prevent genuine victims of persecution from

attaining asylum.  The intention of the law was to reduce

abuses, both real and perceived, in the asylum system, even

though key reforms had already been made by the Immigration

and Naturalization Service.  If the new law does curb abuse,

it does so only at the price of cutting down on all claims

for asylum--without distinguishing between the valid and the

fraudulent.  It could damage one of America's noblest ide-

als, being a safe haven for those fleeing repressive govern-

ments.

The Nature of Governments