Posted: September 15, 1998

Statement of Maxine Waters, CBC (Congressional Black Caucus) Chairman at Press Conference on Haitian Refugee Bill

First, the Congressional Black Caucus applauds the strong bipartisan Senate support for "The Haitian Refugee Fairness Act of 1998." Second, I would like to thank Congressional Black Caucus Members Rep. John Conyers and Rep. Carol Meek for diligently pushing the "Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1997". This inclusive and fair bill, now part of the FY 99 Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill, will correct the double standard that Haitian refugees face in this nation's immigration policies.

When Congress passed the Nicaraguan arid Cuban Adjustment and Relief Act (NACARA) in 1997, we provided an opportunity for those immigrants who entered the United States before December 1995 to apply for permanent resident status before the year 2OOO. However such protections were afforded only to refugees from Cuba and Nicaragua. In contrast, individuals who fled Haiti because of similar conditions were not covered under NACARA.

Currently, there are more than an estimated 40,000 Haitian refugees residing legally in this nation who risk deportation because they were not included under the NACARA legislation. Those who fled Haiti did so because they faced torture, beatings, imprisonment, and death because of their political beliefs.

The "Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act" corrects the injustice that has resulted from the narrowness of NACARA, It prevents thousands of Haitians from being deported from the United States and returned to the very country where they had escaped such violence. Haitian refugees who barely managed to escape brutal political and economic hardships were subjected to the highest degree of political hypocrisy and racism.

Many in Congress justified the exclusion of Haitian refugees on the ground that Haitians were not escaping a Communist nation or they claimed that Haitian refugees fled because of economic hardships.

The Congressional Black Caucus Members are committed to helping to gain parity for Haitian refugees.  We support the strong bipartisan support the bill received in the Senate and we will press the Conference Committee to keep this provision in the FY 99 Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill.

Congressional Black Caucus
Congress of the United States
2344 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2201