Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 618 - Stay of Deportation for Certain Salvadorans and Nicaraguans

(House)
(Moakley (D) Massachusetts and 159 others)

The administration opposes H.R. 618, which would provide for the temporary stay of detention and deportation of certain Salvadorans and Nicaraguans, because it would:

— undermine the comprehensive and orderly system governing asylum and deportation established by the Refugee Act of 1980;

— create another legalization program in addition to those established pursuant to the recently-enacted Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, notwithstanding the fact that similar provisions were deleted prior to enactment of that landmark legislation;

— favor aliens of particular nations and encourage additional nation-specific legislation to provide for similar preferential treatment; and

— permit aliens having no legitimate claim of persecution to remain for an extended period in the United States, and as a consequence is likely to encourage further illegal immigration.