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- Message from the Director
- Bishops Visit African Refugees
- Bishop Brucato Meets with African Representatives in New Role as Episcopal Liaison
- Committee on Migration Document Approved at Bishops’ General Meeting
- South East Regional Training – December 4-6, 2002, Memphis, TN
- Bishop Wenski Honored
- Update on Unity in Diversity Initiatives
- Implementation Grants
- Implementation on the Parish Level
- Implementation Grants
- 4th International Meeting on Filipino Ministry in Singapore
- United States Filipino Catholic Ministries Council Established
- Asian and Pacific Presence Presentations
- AOSUSA to Hold Annual Meeting at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
- The National Conference of Catholic Airport Chaplains Meet at Pittsburgh International Airport
- National Tourism Ministry is in Development
- Highlight From PCMR’s Small Grants Program
- Save the Date!
- A New Ministry Begins in Cleveland
- News from Around the Network
- Diocese Joins in Planned Action Day for the Rights of Immigrants and Refugees
- Pope Appoints Msgr. Ignatius Wang Auxiliary of San Francisco
- New Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network (CMFN)
- Diocese Joins in Planned Action Day for the Rights of Immigrants and Refugees
- Presidential Determination No. 2003-02 on FY 2003 Refugee Admissions Numbers and Authorizations of In Country Refugee Status (excerpt)
Recently I went on an investigative trip to Central America. Our delegation visited three countries to inquire with different leaders of church and society about their take on the upcoming CAFTA treaty, a treaty for Central America similar to NAFTA for Mexico. We talked to a priest director of Caritas in Honduras who analyzed the treaty principally from the point of view of its effects on the poor whose numbers are increasing all through Central America and who are in larger and larger numbers joining the migrant flow to the north. It was a bleak picture, one that made me wonder whether CAFTA could be crafted in a way that development was seen as an essential part of the trade agreement and not just a trickle-down possibility. At the end of this negative narrative, the priest said, “in the midst of all this, the Church exists to generate and sustain hope.”
I thought of these words in connection with the Christmas feast which we are about to celebrate and in connection with the work done all over the country and in our neighboring countries to the south on behalf of migrants, refugees, and all people on the move. The birth of Christ in a humble stable and the subsequent forced flight to Egypt in a desperate effort to preserve life were examples of the daily struggles of the poor to survive against all odds. Yet the subtext of that dark tale is that this is the Son of God entering the human condition at its most exploited and fragile point and from within that hopeless and dark spot bringing hope and courage to all who suffer the same fate. As the document Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope states: “…the Holy Family has become a figure with whom Christian migrants and refugees can identify giving them hope and courage in hard times.” 1
The Church is meant to continue from the place of hopelessness to point out the presence of the loving God bringing hope and courage in hard times. This has been happening in many ways throughout the country at a time when media simplistically identify immigrants with terrorists, when the government has grown cold to refugees and indifferent to justice for migrants, and when public opinion seems swayed by fear. The Church has continued to stand beside the beleaguered immigrant and refugee through the Migration and Refugee Services processing and advocacy offices and through the MRS Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees as well as the diocesan offices for refugee resettlement and for ethnic affairs and people on the move and parishes throughout this country, and the countries to the south. This solidarity offers hope and courage, helping people see what a banner in Guatemala proclaimed: “The crime is not to migrate: the crime is what causes the migration.” Because we hope, we act. The proliferation of actions in the past year on behalf of migrants, refugees, and people on the move has been astounding. To mention a few: the regional meetings and all the projects flowing from them, the completion of the pastoral statement between the Mexican and United States’ Conferences of Bishops, the addition of a unit in MRS to deal with unaccompanied minors, the increased focus on human trafficking as a grave moral concern, a growing zeal to incorporate newcomers into parishes and dioceses migrants, especially in Mexico and Central America, and the increased consciousness of the needs of people on the move.
As we enter the new year, my prayer is that all of you will recognize the importance of this service on behalf of migrants, refugees, and people on the move and will believe in the presence of the loving God in the midst of this service so that as a Church in America we can continue to “generate and sustain hope” for our brothers and sisters in desperate situations.
Bishops Visit African Refugees
A delegation representing the USCCB Committee on Migration traveled to East and West Africa from November 22 through December 4, 2002 to learn firsthand the plight of refugees in those regions.
Bishops John Kinney, Bishop of St. Cloud, and Robert Brucato, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, headed up the delegation and w e r e accompanied by staff members Bernadette Cisse, MRS Policy Advisor, and Mark Franken, MRS Executive Director.
The delegation was particularly interested in learning about efforts being made by the international community to arrange durable solutions for refugees, many of whom have been languishing in refugee camps for a decade and more. A special focus for the bishops was on the plight of the particularly vulnerable refugees – women-at-risk, children unaccompanied by parents or adult relatives, and special “protection” cases.
Refugee camps in Kenya, Tanzania, and Guinea were visited. The refugees in these camps are from Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Congo, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
Following the visits to refugee camps in Africa, the delegation traveled to Geneva to meet with top officials of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to further advocate on behalf of the refugees.
Based on the findings of the trip, the delegation believes that resettlement to a third country, including the United States, should be more aggressively pursued as an option for more refugees in these regions. A complete report on this trip will soon be published and distributed by MRS.
Bishop Brucato Meets with African Representatives in New Role as Episcopal Liaison
As a consultant to the USCCB Committee on Migration, Bishop Brucato recently accepted to serve in the newly created position of Episcopal Liaison for the African Apostolate in the U.S.
Before Bishop Brucato’s visit to Africa, representatives from ten African countries met with him on November 14, 2002, in Washington, DC, to welcome and thank him for accepting to be the Episcopal liaison for Africans in the United States. After the welcome and remarks by Sr. MaryPaul Asoegwu, DDL, Coordinator, Ethnic Ministries and Fr. Anthony McGuire, Director, respectively, the self-introductions that followed revealed the presence of Africans from all walks of life. Bishop Brucato listened and asked questions on the issues and concerns of Africans in the United States. Some of the issues discussed centered around the following topics: the background and presence of Africans (Clergy, Religious and Laity) in the United States, family life, the R1 Visa, a directory of the African Clergy and Religious in the United States, immigration, the effects of terrorism, and the establishment of African Centers and National parishes. It was a fruitful meeting.
Committee on Migration Document Approved at Bishops’ General Meeting
In 2001, the USCCB Committee on Migration and its counterpart in Mexico, the Comision Episcopal para la Pastoral de Movilidad Humana, were charged by their respective Conferences to prepare a joint statement on migration. Three listening sessions were held to hear testimony from experts, academics, politicians, pastoral agents, bishops (especially those along the border) and the migrants themselves on the issues and concerns involving migration between the two countries.
On November 11, 2002, Bishop Thomas Wenski, Auxiliary Bishop of Miami and Chairman of the Committee on Migration, and Bishop Carlos Talavera Ramirez, representing the Mexican Bishops Conference, introduced the pastoral letter, Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope, to the full body of U.S. bishops. The next day Bishop John Manz, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago and member of the USCCB Committee on Migration, addressed the Mexican Bishops Conference regarding the pastoral letter and its importance for the Church and migrants in both countries. Later that week the United States Conference as well as the Mexican Conference of bishops approved the texts presented. It is anticipated that the document will be released by January 23, 2003, the anniversary of the presentation of the Pope’s apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America in Mexico City. Watch the USCCB website (www.usccb.org) for the release of this document, which will be available in English and Spanish.
South East Regional Training – December 4-6, 2002, Memphis, TN
Participants at the South East Regional Training program met at the Memphis Marriott from December 4-6, 2002. The group included two bishops and 125 other representatives from 18 dioceses. Bishop Terry Steib, Diocese of Memphis, joined the group on the opening night to welcome them to his diocese. Bishop Thomas Wenski, Auxiliary Bishop of Miami and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration served as a panelist at the training and discussed how Miami structures its response to newcomers and ethnic communities through various services and programs provided by Catholic Charities. This is the fifth of seven planned regional trainings sponsored by the MRS Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees on the pastoral statement, Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity.
Bishop Wenski Honored
Bishop Thomas Wenski was honored by the United Nations Association of the National Capitol Area at their annual Human Rights Day luncheon on Capitol Hill, 12/10/02. He was honored for his many years of service on behalf of Haitian refugees and his opposition to unfair U.S. Detention policies.
To read the message of the High Commissioner on Human Rights Day, 10 December 2002, see:
http://www.unhchr.ch
Update on Unity in Diversity Initiatives
Implementation Grants
Mid-Atlantic Grants
Thanks to Tier 1 funding from the pastoral implementation grants program, three offices of ethnic/multicultural or “welcoming” ministries were established in the following dioceses that previously did not have such an office:
- The Diocese of Allentown was awarded $25,000 to support the creation of a Multicultural Task Force including the hiring of a part-time person to staff the Task Force. Several projects are expected to take place this year, including a comprehensive demographic survey of the parishes, production of a “Welcoming the Stranger” video, and the development of educational workshops and training seminars for clergy and pastoral workers on “Welcoming the Stranger.”
- The Diocese of Arlington will put their $25,000 award with matching funds from the diocese to open an Office for Ethnic Ministries, including the hiring of a part-time Director of Ethnic Ministries. Responsibilities of the new staff person will include conducting sensitivity training for parish, school and ministerial staff throughout the diocese and developing and promoting resources to assist clergy and parish leaders with welcoming the stranger and responding to the pastoral and human needs of immigrants in their midst.
- The Diocese of Buffalo will use their $25,000 award to establish a “Ministry of Welcome” for the diocese. The new part-time coordinator of this office will function as a resource person for parishes who wish to create their own ministries of welcome or upgrade what they are currently doing, as well as coordinating the activities of diocesan offices.
Implementation on the Parish Level
Sr. Charlotte Hobelman, SND, PCMR Migrant Ministries Coordinator, was invited in August to give the St. John Parish (Columbia, Maryland in the Archdiocese of Baltimore) staff, council members, and committee chairs a parish retreat on the theme, Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity. In the intervening months, she attended a weekend liturgy, a parish staff meeting and a parish council meeting to get to know the parish better and to obtain input for her retreat planning. St. John Parish agreed to pilot this parish retreat model based on the message of the pastoral statement.
The retreat, held on November 16, began with a gathering prayer and concluded with a prayer service of commitment. An evaluation form was provided to each retreatant to solicit their input on all aspects of the retreat experience.
The participants were paired by two’s and three’s as Emmaus companions for the day with someone they didn’t know well to reflect together on questions following each major retreat session. The fruit of their reflection was shared with the whole group at the beginning of the following session. Dr. Eric Law’s mutual invitation process was introduced and practiced as a model method for sharing at future parish meetings. The three main sessions of the retreat were:
- Why a Pastoral Statement on Unity in Diversity?
- Conversion and Communion
- Solidarity and Mission
4th International Meeting on Filipino Ministry in Singapore
The Archdiocese of Singapore hosted the 4th International Meeting on Filipino Ministry held at the St. Francis Xavier Seminary on October 16-20, 2002. While the meeting agenda focused mainly on pastoral care of Filipino migrants and immigrants all over the world, the cultural celebrations and liturgies were multicultural and included migrant pastoral leaders and workers from India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Archbishop Chia, the Chairman of the Singapore Bishops’ Commission on Migration, and Bishop Ramon Arguelles, the Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants, of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, presided over the meeting and the liturgies.
Cecile Motus of MRS/PCMR, Sr. Christine Sevilla of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Filipino Ministry, and Fr. Bobby Sison of the Our Lady of Pompei Filipino Ministry in New York represented the United States. A little over 80 delegates from 21 countries where Filipino migrants and immigrants live and work participated in the meeting which is held every 1-3 years.
United States Filipino Catholic Ministries Council Established
After two years of consultations with the Filipino American Catholics, a national council was formally organized with the following mission: “The United States Filipino Catholic Ministries Council is committed to serve the diocesan Filipino ministries by promoting Filipino spirituality and culture, supporting effective leadership, and establishing networking initiatives that enrich the life and mission of the United States Catholic Church.”
Priority goals of the Council in the next three years include among others: to facilitate recognition of the need for Filipino ministry in dioceses and to strengthen existing ones; to establish a database for Filipino American pastoral leaders; to formulate education/formation/liturgical leadership modules in the Filipino perspective as a resource for dioceses; to develop catechesis for the many devotions prevalent among Filipino Catholics; and, to develop a communications program to include a website, logo, and brochures.
The first officers of the Council who will serve for two years are: Rev. Arturo Balagat, President; Rev. Ed Abano, Vice-President; Simon Rebullida, Secretary; and Sr. Maria Christina Sevilla, Treasurer.
As foundation for the pastoral planning of the Council, Fr. Anthony McGuire of MRS/PCMR led a discussion on the pastoral statement, Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity; and Cecile Motus presented the pastoral, Asian and Pacific Presence: Harmony in Faith.
Asian and Pacific Presence Presentations
This quarter several orientations and workshops were offered by Cecile Motus of MRS/PCMR in collaboration with Ethnic Asian leaders to communicate the core messages and challenges of the United States bishops’ pastoral statement, Asian and Pacific Presence: Harmony in Faith. For five weekends from September to November, workshops were offered during the Regional Religious Education Congress in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Three workshops were presented in November to a class at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, San Francisco; to Asian leaders from the Archdioceses of New York and Newark, and the Diocese of Brooklyn; and, during the National Convention of the National Forum for the Catechumenate in Baltimore, Maryland.
AOSUSA to Hold Annual Meeting at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
The Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America (AOSUSA) has grown to over 125 members and will be holding an annual meeting for all Catholics involved in maritime ministry. This historic meeting will take place at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY.
This will be the first time that the Apostleship of the Sea has ever held a meeting at a maritime academy. The Annual Meeting will take place from April 1 through April 4, 2003.
Experts on maritime ministry and theologians specializing in missiology and pastoral care will be on the program. For more information and registration for this meeting contact Fr. Karl A. Lindblad, AOSUSA member and USMMA Chaplain at 516-773-5306.
The National Conference of Catholic Airport Chaplains Meet at Pittsburgh International Airport
The National Conference of Catholic Airport Chaplains will host its annual meeting at Pittsburgh International Airport from April 29-May 2, 2003. All Catholics who are involved in airport ministry or any individual or diocese that has an interest in Catholic Airport Ministry are welcome to attend. Please contact Deacon James O’Malley, NCCAC President at 773-686-2636 for further information and reservations.
National Tourism Ministry is in Development
The People on the Move section of PCMR has received surveys from 56 arch/dioceses and 5 eparchies regarding the pastoral care of tourism. There is a real effort and concern on the part of many arch/dioceses for tourists. The opportunity to provide pastoral care to tourists and those who work in the tourism industry is present and obvious in every arch/diocese and eparchy around the country. Each one of us lives near some tourist attraction or site, just look around. I am sure you are aware of a national park, theme park, sports park, amusement park, a resort center, or conference/convention center nearby. Somewhere within your area, there are beaches, casinos, cruises, hotels; or some regularly scheduled festival, fair or exposition. All of these places and activities will draw thousands or millions of people. It is the responsibility of the local church to reach out to these visitors and workers and to make available pastoral care and sacraments to all who pass through, visit or temporarily reside in the area. The Coordinator for Human Mobility Apostolates, MRS/PCMR, hopes to develop a national network and organization to assist the Church in the United States in providing quality pastoral care to tourists and those who work in the tourist industry. If you are aware of any person in your local area or your archdiocese who ministers to tourists, let our office know so that we can develop a relationship with them as far as our national network goes on the pastoral care of tourism. Contact Fr. John A. Jamnicky, Coordinator for Human Mobility Apostolates at (202) 541-3226 or email at jjamnicky@usccb.org.
Highlight From PCMR’s Small Grants Program
The Diocese of Grand Rapids was awarded $1,140 from the PCMR office in 2002 for a project entitled “Migrant Pastoral Ministry” for Hispanics. The objective of the project was to renew and reinforce the Catholic Christian values that most Hispanics have been born into. Sr. Blanca Rubiela initiated the project by means of migrant camp visits and celebrations, sacramental catechesis for both children and adults, Liturgies of the Word with adults and youth, recitation of the Rosary, and counseling and advocacy in the areas of family problems, physical and mental health issues, and legal documentation. Resulting from this charitable work, there appeared to be more camaraderie among the migrants, families have registered their children for catechesis throughout the year in local parishes, and parents have taken more seriously both their own and their children’s educational needs (primarily, to learn English). Also, some permanent residents have registered in the local parish and become more active members, and others have signed up to organize activities in preparation for migrants arriving in 2003.
Save the Date!
National Migration Conference 2003
“All Come Bearing Gifts”
Sponsored by MRS & Clinic
July 6-10, 2003
Omni Shoreham Hotel Washington, DC
For more information or to
register, call:
202-541-3352
Featuring Noted Speakers, Networking,
Liturgies, & Workshops on:
Catholic Social Teaching & Migration
Pastoral Care in a Changing Society
The Welcoming Parish Model
Refugee Resettlement & Immigration Law Issues
Advocacy for Migrant People
International Protection for Victims of Trafficking
A New Ministry Begins in Cleveland
Sister Mary Paul Asoegwu’s visit to the Cleveland Diocese the weekend of Nov. 22-24, 2002, was a whirlwind of activity culminating in a gathering of the African Catholic community on Sunday afternoon, organized by Sr. Rita Mary Harwood, SND (Secretary for Parish Life & Development) and other diocesan officials.
Beginning Friday evening, Sister enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving dinner prepared by the staff of the Office of Migration and Refugee Services for all the refugees who have been welcomed to the Cleveland area this past year. The evening was especially joyful as those newly arrived, their friends and the office staff recalled experiences of their beginning days and the many people who stretched out a hand of welcome to them in their new home in the United States. How appropriate that Sr. Mary Paul was able to join this group in a spirit of prayer and thanksgiving to experience, at a local level, the fruit of the work of the National Office of Migration and Refugee Services.
On Saturday morning, she journeyed to the southern part of the Diocese for a gathering of the Guatemalan Migrant community with Fr. Gabriel Rodriguez. Father is responsible for the pastoral care of the indigenous people of his community and of the village of Aguacatan in the Diocese of Huehuetenango in Guatemala. He came to visit the people from his parish community who are now living in Ohio. Sister Mary Paul had the opportunity to experience the ministry of the Immigrant Worker Project and the Tri Diocesan Ministry Team in being with the migrant community for prayer, in the development of leadership and to respond to a variety of educational, legal, and life needs. Of particular interest was a meeting with the women of the community who spoke of their desire to deepen the living of their faith and to respond to the needs of their families.
After celebrating Mass with the African American community at St. Henry Parish in Warrensville, Sister’s visit culminated on Sunday afternoon with a reception at the Catholic Center for the African Catholic community of the Diocese. This is the first time the African Catholic community came together in the Cleveland diocese! Sister Mary Paul welcomed the group and spoke of the pastoral letters of the United States Catholic Bishops: A Call to Solidarity with Africa and Welcoming the Stranger Among Us. Copies of the letters were distributed to all present. She then engaged the group in a lively discussion. Because of the joy of the group in being together and hope for future possibilities, plans began to surface for future meetings and the formation of a Ministry for the African Catholic community in the diocese. Gatherings of the African Catholic community, dialogue with Bishop Anthony Pilla and representatives of various offices in the diocese, celebrations of the many cultures of Africa, opportunities to become more involved in the life of the diocese and parish communities, dialogue with the African American community, and many, many celebrations were all suggestions that surfaced as a result of the discussion. The group dispersed delighted at the prospect of getting together again in January.
News from Around the Network
Diocese Joins in Planned Action Day for the Rights of Immigrants and Refugees
In the spirit of inclusion and invitation, delegations of immigrants, refugees and their allies united on October 15 to visit each of the 19 congressional district offices throughout Illinois. Organized by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, “Families, Faith and Work: New Americans Action Day,” gathered groups of 100-200 delegates at each site to send a pro-immigrant, pro-refugee message to congressional leaders heading into the November elections.
“Illinois is a state with a very great immigrant reality. “... Illinois also has some very significant persons in office, such as the Speaker of the House,” noted Sister Judy Callahan, director of the diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry. “Our purpose was to present elected officials with an immigrant and refugee agenda along with data on the immigrant reality in their district, to convince them of the strength and urgency of this group’s needs,” added Sister Callahan.
Sister Callahan explained that the next stage of the campaign after the rally day would focus on voter information and turnout. “We will use our influence and numbers in the next election. We will let legislators know on Oct. 15 that we will be sharing information with voters about their voting record on immigrant and refugee issues,” she said. Rhonda Rae Gutierrez, communications coordinator for the ICIRR, stressed that the urgency of the issue of immigrant and refugee rights has increased since Sept. 11, 2001, particularly for the Arab and Muslim population who are often “scapegoated” by the government and society. She shared that the agenda items for Oct. 15 fall under the categories of “Legalize, don’t criminalize,” “Respect hard work,” and “Don’t slam the door on those seeking freedom and the American Dream.” For more information, visit www.icirr.org.
Pope Appoints Msgr. Ignatius Wang Auxiliary of San Francisco
The Pope named Msgr. Ignatius Wang, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, as Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco and Titular Bishop of Sitipa. Bishop-elect Wang, who is also director of the Archdiocesan Society for the Propagation of the Faith, and of the Chinese Apostolate, is believed to be the first Latin Rite Asian and the first person born in China to be named to the U.S. hierarchy.
New Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network (CMFN)
The Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network (CMFN) announced the appointment of Mr. Hector Rodríguez as its new Executive Director in a September 30, 2002 press release. He will be working from his home in Columbia, Maryland until a permanent office can be found. His primary responsibilities will be membership and fund development, promotion, networking, and programming. Ms. Celine Caufield, the previous Executive Director, will work for CMFN as its Administrative Assistant staffing its Boise, Idaho office with responsibility for grant writing, membership maintenance, accounting, mailings, and web site maintenance. They will collaborate closely on all aspects of their work to forward the mission of the organization:
The Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network (CMFN) promotes the formation of welcoming church communities by advocating social justice, dignity and respect for all that we may be a more missionary Church. Through leadership formation, networking and provision of resources to pastoral ministers and farmworkers, CMFN helps bridge the differences and distances that separate the people of God.
CMFN provides leadership training and pastoral formation to persons who are or have been migrant farmworkers as well as pastoral agents throughout the United States using a mobile team format. Significant changes have occurred in the U.S. migrant population and in migration patterns since its I National Consultation on Migrant Farmworker Ministry in 1995. Therefore, Mr. Rodriguez and the Board of Directors envision holding a II National Consultation on Migrant Farmworker Ministry in 2005. The CMFN Board of Directors worked with Mr. Rodriguez at its October 11-13, 2002 meeting in the Diocese of Charleston to identify a planning committee of experienced pastoral leaders and to include input from local focus group sessions to inform the final agenda. The goal of this national consultation is to read the signs of the times, identify a renewed pastoral vision for the future, articulate a national pastoral plan for migrant farmworker ministry and adapt pastoral outreach to the new realities of migrant farmworkers and their families.
Presidential Determination No. 2003-02 on FY 2003 Refugee Admissions Numbers and Authorizations of In Country Refugee Status (excerpt)
“In accordance with section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (the “Act”) (8 U.S.C. 1157), as amended, and after appropriate consultations with the Congress, the President made the following determinations and authorized the following actions:
The admission of up to 70,000 refugees to the United States during FY 2003 is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest; provided, however, that this number shall be understood as including persons admitted to the United States during FY 2003 with Federal refugee resettlement assistance under the Amerasian immigrant admissions program, as provided below.”
The 70,000 admissions numbers shall be allocated among refugees of special humanitarian concern to the United States in accordance with the following regional allocations; provided, however, that the number allocated to the East Asia region shall include persons admitted to the United States during FY 2003 with Federal refugee resettlement assistance under section 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1988, as contained in section 101(e) of Public Law 100 202 (Amerasian immigrants and their family members); provided further that the number allocated to the former Soviet Union shall include persons admitted who were nationals of the former Soviet Union, or in the case of persons having no nationality, who were habitual residents of the former Soviet Union, prior to September 2, 1991:
Africa - 20,000The 20,000 unallocated numbers shall be allocated as needed to regional ceilings where shortfalls develop. Unused admissions numbers allocated to a particular region may be transferred to one or more other regions if there is an overriding need for greater numbers for the region or regions to which the numbers are being transferred.
East Asia - 4,000
Eastern Europe - 2,500
Former Soviet Union - 14,000
Latin America/Caribbean - 2,500
Near East/South Asia - 7,000
Unallocated Reserve - 20,000
An additional 10,000 refugee admissions numbers shall be made available during FY 2003 for the adjustment to permanent resident status under section 209(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1159(b)) of aliens who have been granted asylum in the United States under section 208 of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1158), as this is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.
In accordance with section 101(a)(42) of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(42)) and after appropriate consultation with the Congress, …for FY 2003, the following persons may, if otherwise qualified, be considered refugees for the purpose of admission to the United States within their countries of nationality or habitual residence: a. Persons in Vietnam, b. Persons in Cuba, c. Persons in the former Soviet Union.”