Draft Sign-on Letter

Dear Senator

The undersigned organizations and individuals are writing to urge you to co-sponsor and support S. 1504, the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1997.

Enactment of S. 1504 is in the national interest and consistent with American traditions of equitable treatment and protection of the persecuted and oppressed. The Haitian refugees protected by S. 1504 are already in the United States, and many were admitted after the INS determined that they had demonstrated credible fear of persecution. These temporarily-protected Haitians are now in a legal limbo, similar to that in which Central Americans and others found themselves in prior to passage of the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) last year. This bill would provide similar relief to that already provided for Nicaraguans and Cubans.

The number of Haitians who will benefit from this legislation, according to INS estimates, is fewer that 40,000, a much smaller number than the number of Nicaraguans and Cubans who were granted relief under NACARA.

There is significant precedent for providing to Haitians the relief which S. 1504 accords. Congress enacted similar legislation in 1957 for Hungarians; in 1966 for Cubans; in 1977 for Indochinese; in 1992 for Chinese students; in 1996 for Poles and Hungarians; and in 1997 for Nicaraguans and Cubans.

The limited number of Haitians protected under S. 1504 have contributed greatly to the communities in the United States in which they now live. Many have married, had children who are U.S. citizens, started businesses and served in the military. In Miami, New York, Boston, Chicago, and many other areas where Haitians reside, state and local official front both parties support enactment of S. 1504.

S. 1504 has been co sponsored on a bipartisan basis by Senators Mack, Graham, Abraham, Kennedy, and others. We urge you to join them as co-sponsors and to support the bill when it is before you.

Sincerely,