Statement of Senator Alan K. Simpson on Refugee Policy, September 26, 1996

Simpson's statement highlights concerns about the U.S. refugee admissions policy, emphasizing that while the country has acted generously in addressing humanitarian crises, it has also allowed political considerations to influence and expand refugee programs beyond their original intent. He criticizes the tendency to turn temporary refugee assistance into long-term immigration entitlements and urges a return to stricter adherence to the legal definition of "refugee" to ensure that resources are allocated to those who genuinely face persecution.