02/13/2008

After September 11, the application of laws put in place to protect the United States from terrorist activity prevented certain refugees fleeing violence in their countries from being resettled in the United States. However, the recent enactment of legislation authored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) now permits the acceptance of refugees and asylum seekers who need and are worthy of our support.

Refugees International supports laws that increase U.S. security, but deserving refugees were being turned away due to overly-broad interpretation of provisions in the Patriot and Real ID Acts. These provisions were intended to bar supporters of terrorism from entering the United States by blocking individuals that had provided “material support” to armed groups. Problems arose, however, when Homeland Security staff interpreted material support to encompass even tiny amounts of assistance given under duress. They also categorized former United States allies and groups resisting oppressive governments in Burma and elsewhere as terrorist organizations. Even children forced into combat were being refused.

Refugees International, along with a number of human rights and refugee organizations, convinced the Administration and Congress that the government was preventing many innocent refugees deserving of international protection from being admitted into the U.S. resettlement program. RI was especially concerned about the denial of admission to Burmese ethnic groups, the Hmong of Laos and the Montagnards of Vietnam.

During a recent mission to Thailand, Refugees International met with a number of leaders and members of Burmese ethnic organizations who were not considered eligible for resettlement to the U.S. despite the hardships they had endured in trying to win greater freedom and democracy for their people. Some were refused because they had raised funds for Karen New Year celebrations, had received military training by their ethnic organization or simply had been leaders of their groups.

Congress has now decided, and the President has agreed, that 11 of these groups should not be considered terrorist organizations. Thus membership, leadership or activities with the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army, the Chin National Front/Chin National Army, the Chin National League for Democracy, the Kayan New Land Party, the Arakan Liberation Party, the Tibetan Mustangs, the Cuban Anzados, and Hmong and Montagnard groups should not prevent someone from being admitted as a refugee or granted asylum. Under current immigration laws, the U.S. government may still ban the admission or adjustment of status of any individuals intent on harming the U.S. or another democratic country or purposefully seeking to harm civilians.

Refugees International commends the Congress for its action and looks forward to the speedy implementation of these new policies, which will permit hundreds of families to build new lives in the United States in the great tradition of the refugee resettlement program.