Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "30806005",
    "label": "Letter from President Gerald R. Ford to Governor Robert D. Ray of Iowa Regarding Indochina Refugee Resettlement",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/30806005"
}

{
    "id": "30806005",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/30806005",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Letter from President Gerald R. Ford to Governor Robert D. Ray of Iowa Regarding Indochina Refugee Resettlement",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/30806005",
    "collections": [
        "White House Central Files Subject Files (Ford Administration)",
        "White House Central Files Subject Files on National Security and Defense"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/5/8060/30806005/content/presidential-libraries/ford/gallery/005600076-002.pdf",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/5/8060/30806005/content/presidential-libraries/ford/gallery/005600076-002.pdf",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/5/8060/30806005/content/presidential-libraries/ford/gallery/005600076-002.pdf",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/30806005",
    "naId": 30806005,
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 11,
            "logicalDate": "1975-07-11",
            "month": 7,
            "year": 1975
        }
    ],
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/5/8060/30806005/content/presidential-libraries/ford/gallery/005600076-002.pdf",
    "mediaId": "e89556d2405ec310",
    "ocrText": "July 11, 1975\nDear Governor Ray:\nAs you know, on May 24, 1975, I signed into law\nthe Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance\nAct of 1975 to assist in the resettlement of\nVietnamese and Cambodian refugees who are seek-\ning new homes in the United States. Since then,\nI have established an Interagency Task Force on\nRefugees to coordinate the resettlement program\nand to assure that it is accomplished as humanely\nand expeditiously as possible. In addition, I\nhave appoined a Presidential Advisory Committee\nto assist in this effort.\nI am pleased to report that as of June 30th, more\nthan 41,000 of the 130,258 evacuees have joined\ntheir families or sponsors in the United States\nand are beginning to contribute to their new\ncommunities. These refugees have been accorded\nparole status, making them eligible to remain\nin the United States indefinitely and to accept\nemployment. All refugees, except those few\ndeemed \"self-sufficient\", will be assigned\nsponsors to assist in the resettlement process.\nSponsors may be individuals, families, service\norganizations, churches or other groups. Com-\nmitment as a sponsor, while not a legal one,\ninvolves a clear moral obligation to help the\nrefugee to the best of the sponsor's ability.\nFORD : GERALD LIBRARY\n2\nMany individuals and voluntary agencies are par-\nticipating in the resettlement program by locating\nsponsors and facilitating the movement of refugees\nfrom the four reception centers to their new homes.\nThese voluntary efforts have been exemplary, but\nwe should not expect that they alone will accomplish\nthis great humanitarian task as quickly as we would\nall wish.\nI am encouraged that a number of States and local\ngovernments are developing programs to assist in\nexpediting the resettlement of the refugees into\ntheir new communities. You have received infor-\nmation from the Advisory Committee about one of\nthese programs which Governor Dan Evans launched\nin Washington State. This successful effort has\nled to placement of more than 500 refugees with\nsponsors throughout the State.\nThe Interagency Task Force is now prepared to\ncontract with other States which choose to develop\ntheir own resettlement programs. Funds are\navailable to support State efforts through\nreimbursement of $500 for each refugee placed.\nIn addition, 100 percent federal reimbursement is\navailable to all States for Medicaid, financial\nassistance, and social services provided to\nrefugees. Administrative costs related to the\nprovision of such services will also be reimbursed.\nFinancial support to help defray emergency costs\nincurred by school districts, should they enroll\nlarge numbers of refugee children, will also be\navailable. These programs are further described\nin materials being transmitted to your State\nagencies through existing channels.\nI have asked the Federal Regional Councils to\nassist the Task Force by aiding State and local\ngovernments in the development of programs which\nthey wish to undertake. You may expect to hear\nfrom a representative of the Federal Regional\nCouncil in the near future.\nFORD is LIBRARY 028ALD\n3\nWhether or not you choose to lead a resettlement\neffort in your State, your leadership in assuring\nState agency and private organization support of\nsponsoring families and individuals will provide\ninvaluable assistance to this effort.\nThe responses of thousands of individuals and the\nuntiring efforts of voluntary agencies have dem-\nonstrated again the generosity of Americans toward\nothers seeking to find homes in our country. I\nhope you will consider ways in which your State\nmay participate in this effort.\nSincerely,\nGERALD R. FORD\nThe Honorable Robert D. Ray\nGovernor of Iowa\nDes Moines, Iowa 50319\n3\nGRF OMB :ah\nFORD & LIBRARY GERALD\n40"
}