Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 822 - Stay of Deportation for Certain Salvadorans

(House Rules)
(Moakley (D) Massachusetts and 175 others)

The Administration opposes H.R. 822 because it undermines the Refugee Act of 1980, which provides a comprehensive and orderly system governing asylum and deportation decisions. Passage of legislation such as H.R. 822, which favors aliens of a particular nation is unnecessary, and would only encourage additional nation-specific legislation to provide similar preferential treatment. Further, H.R. 822 would permit Salvadoran aliens having alleged no legitimate claim of persecution to remain temporarily in the United States, and as a consequence is likely to encourage further illegal immigration.