The Catholic Times

Congress Failed
To Face Refugee
Problem, CRS Says

Regret that the recently enacted refugee relief bill "did not face up to the real problem of the escapees" from communism has been expressed by an official of the U.S. Bishops' world-wide relief and resettlement agency.

Expressing the viewpoint of Catholic Relief Services-National Catholic Welfare Conference headquarters in New York, Msgr. Aloysius J. Wycislo, assistant executive director of the agency, said some gratitude over passage of the measure must be expressed.

"It will alleviate in some measure problems involved with separation of families; provide for admission of an unspecified number of orphans for adoption, and remove 'mortgages' of quotas used by displaced persons from certain Iron Curtain countries and Spain to the extent that 8,000 visa numbers will now be made available," Msgr. Wycislo said.

"It also will admit certain hardship cases previously ineligible on technical grounds and make certain other minor changes in the basic immigration law."

Expressing regret that the bill failed to face up to the real problem of the escapees, particularly the most recent ones who came from behind the Iron and Bamboo Curtains," Msgr. Wycislo added:

"Our deepest disappointment involves the utter neglect of the problem we face relative to thousands upon thousands of Yugoslav refugees and escapees. It is conservatively estimated that there are 100,000 escapees who should have received consideration. The numbers allocated under the bill are therefore disappointingly inadequate."

Msgr. Wycislo said that under the bill a total of 18,656 visa numbers will go to refugees and escapees. He added that CRS-NCWC knows from experience "that it could place both in the United States and other free nations of the world many times that number."

Statistics disclose that CRS-NCWC already has brought more than 210,000 refugees and escapees to the United States, including more than 20,000 Hungarians who fled from their communist-ruled homeland after the unsuccessful revolt last November.

"It is our fear," Msgr. Wycislo said, "that the allocation of the 18,656 visas will create discouragement and hard feeling in their distribution."

Msgr. Wycislo added that CRS-NCWC officials "also deeply regret the lack of mention to help to additional Hungarian escapees in Europe, and to the promised change of status for those Hungarian escapees already

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Congress
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in the United States under the nebulous and uncertain status of parolees." It has been estimated that there are 28,000 Hungarian escapees now in this country under this parole status.

"We are grateful for even the smallest things and know that even this bill will bring hope and new life to many deserving persons," Msgr. Wycislo concluded.

"This is laudable and we are grateful, but we cannot help but emphasize that Congress has again added to the patchwork solution of the refugee problem."

Under terms of the bill some 60,000 persons will be allowed to enter this country within the next two years, it has been estimated.

The measure fell considerably short of the requests made by President Eisenhower.