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    "id": "1563032",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Indochina Refugees - General (1)",
    "description": "This file contains materials relating to Operation Babylift, an orphan airlift.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1563032",
    "collections": [
        "John O. Marsh Files (Ford Administration)",
        "John Marsh's General Subject Files"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Vietnam (Republic)",
        "Refugees",
        "Vietnamese Americans"
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        "logicalDate": "1975-07-31",
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        "year": 1975
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        "logicalDate": "1975-04-01",
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        "year": 1975
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 19, folder \"Indochina Refugees - General (1)\" of\nthe John Marsh Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box 19 of the John Marsh Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nDetermined to be an administrative marking\nCancelled per E.O. 12356, Sec. 1.3 and\nArchivist's memo of March 16, 1983\nSECRET\nBy\nDVW NARS date 2/6/86\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nApril 3, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR:\nDON RUMSFELD\nFROM:\nJACK MARSH\nIt appears there are emerging two principal areas where there is likely to be\nassigned a special Administration responsibility on the Vietnam matter. These\nare refugee assistance and the safety of U.S. citizens who are \"in country.\"\nThe latter has not moved into the forefront but will be of increasing Con-\ngressional attention by next week in my opinion.\nCollateral to the refugee problem is intense interest in the \"Baby-lift.\" Con-\nsiderable White House effort was devoted to this by Phil Buchen and Dr. Ted\nMarrs. Ted directed a great deal of the work that was done on this matter\nat the White House level yesterday. I have requested a summary of this effort\nbe sent to you immediately, and Bill Roberts will transmit the same.\nIt is my view, shared by others, that a question at the news conference is\nlikely on any of the matters mentioned above.\nBERALD FOR\nSECRET\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nApril 3, 1975\nMR. MARSH:\nRena Wasserman (Whitehurst's Office)\ncalled re the Congressman's desire\nthat you pass on the following message\nto the President:\nThere are approximately 500 families\nhere that would like to adopt Vietnamese\nchildren, and it is vital that we attempt to\nget them out of Vietnam! She knows\nof two military men who would volunteer\ntheir services in any way to assist - also\nthe Red Cross has expressed interest in\nassisting.\nconnie\n[4/3/75?\nWe are seeing a great human tragedy as untold numbers\nof Vietnamese flee the North Vietnamese onslaught. The United\nStates has been doing and will continue to do its utmost to assist\nthese people.\nI have, for example, directed all available naval ships\nto stand off Indochina to do whatever is necessary to assist.\nWe have appealed to the United Nations to use its moral influence\nto permit these innocent people to leave, and we call on North\nVietnam to permit the movement of refugees to areas of their\nchoice.\nThe requirements for the care and ultimate disposition\nof all those who are fleeing from the war will be heavy. Because\nof the large numbers involved and the overwhelming need for\nassistance, I will soon be asking the Congress for additional funds\nto meet this humanitarian requirement. We will as well be working\nwith the humanitarian agencies to do everything humanly possible\nto relieve the tragic plight of these refugees.\nA.I.D. is working with\nthe Republic of Vietnam to expedite transportation to the\nUnited States for about 2,000 Vietnamese orphans now in\nSaigon. I have directed that funds from a $2 million\nchildren's assistance allocation be used to airlift them\nin suitable and safe aircraft as soon as possible, and\nthat the USAID Mission in Saigon move immediately to cut\nthrough any red tape or bureaucratic obstacles.\nThese orphans are now in the custody of licensed adoption\nagencies operating in Vietnam. They were already in the\nprocess of adoption by American families living in various\nparts of the United States. Those few who do not have\nfamilies arranged will be placed with families now on\nwaiting lists of the agencies.\nWe do not now need foster care homes or additional spon-\nsoring families. Adoption agencies involved which have\nU.S. offices will be contacting the prospective parents.\nInquiries from families in the U.S. who are in the process\nof adopting Vietnamese children should be made to the\nappropriate adoption agencies. (A list is attached).\nBERALD FORD LIBRARY\nA.I.D. has been working with the Government of Vietnam and\nU.S. voluntary agencies in Vietnam for two weeks to expedite\nthe transportation and placement of these orphans in U.S.\nhomes, because of the overloading of voluntary agency\nfacilities in Saigon caused by the refugee situation.\nWe presently are lining up one or two C-5A planes and\nequipping them to ensure safe transportation and care\nen route. We are also lining up alternative available\nplanes. The flights will begin within the next 36 to\n48 hours and possibly sooner. We are arranging to have\nthe children met at Travis Air Force Base and/or other\nlocations on the west coast and to be cared for upon\narrival.\nWorld Airways brought 57 orphans into Oakland last night\nat 11:30 p.m. This was an unauthorized flight because the\nSouth Vietnam Government, the FAA, and the U.S. Mission in\nSaigon considered the rice cargo plane to be unsafe and\nunsuitable for a long flight of infants across the Pacific.\nWe would welcome World Airways participation as long as\nits flights are safe and appropriate arrangements for\nmedical care made.\nFORD\nis\nGERALD\nThe following agencies with branches\nin Vietnam are active in\nintercountry adoption work. All are either licensed or in the pro-\ncess of being licensed by the Ministry of Social Welfare of the\nRepublic of Vietnam to handle such adoptions.\nProspective adoptive parents should contact one of the following\nagencies:\nHolt Children's Service\nP.O. Box 2420\n1195 City View Street\nEugene, Oregon 97402\nTelephone: (503) 687-2202\nTAISSA (Traveler's Aid--International\nSocial Services of America)\n345 East 46th Street, Room 715\nNew York, New York 10017\nTelephone: (212) 687-2747\nFriends For All Children\n445 South 68th Street\nBoulder, Colorado 80303\nTelephone: (303) 494-7305\nUnited States Catholic Conference\n201 Park Avenue, South\nNew York, New York 10003\nTelephone: (212) 475-5400\nFriends of Children of Vietnam\n600 Gilpin\nDenver, Colorado 80211\nTelephone: (303) 321-8251 or 8262\nPearl S. Buck Foundation\n2019 DeLancey Place\nPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19103\nTelephone: (215) 732-1030\nWorld Vision Relief Organization\n919 West Huntington Drive\nMonrovia, California 91016'\nTelephone: (213) 357-1111\nFORD\n[4/3/75?]\nWe are seeing a great human tragedy as untold numbers\nof Vietnamese flee the North Vietnamese onslaught. The United\nStates has been doing and will continue to do its utmost to assist\nthese people.\nI have, for example, directed all available naval ships\nto stand off Indochina to do whatever is necessary to assist.\nWe have appealed to the United Nations to use its moral influence\nto permit these innocent people to leave, and we call on North\nVietnam to permit the movement of refugees to areas of their\nchoice.\nThe requirements for the care and ultimate disposition\nof all those who are fleeing from the war will be heavy. Because\nof the large numbers involved and the overwhelming need for\nassistance, I will soon be asking the Congress for additional funds\nto meet this humanitarian requirement. We will as well be working\nwith the humanitarian agencies to do everything humanly possible\nto relieve the tragic plight of these refugees.\nA.I.D. is working with\nthe Republic of Vietnam to expedite transportation to the\nUnited States for about 2,000 Vietnamese orphans now in\nSaigon. I have directed that funds from a $2 million\nchildren's assistance allocation be used to airlift them\nin suitable and safe aircraft as soon as possible, and\nthat the USAID Mission in Saigon move immediately to cut\nthrough any red tape or bureaucratic obstacles.\nThese orphans are now in the custody of licensed adoption\nagencies operating in Vietnam. They were already in the\nprocess of adoption by American families living in various\nparts of the United States. Those few who do not have\nfamilies arranged will be placed with families now on\nwaiting lists of the agencies.\nWe do not now need foster care homes or additional spon-\nsoring families. Adoption agencies involved which have\nU.S. offices will be contacting the prospective parents.\nInquiries from families in the U.S. who are in the process\nof adopting Vietnamese children should be made to the\nappropriate adoption agencies. (A list is attached).\nGERALD FORD LIBRARY\nA.I.D. has been working with the Government of Vietnam and\nU.S. voluntary agencies in Vietnam for two weeks to expedite\nthe transportation and placement of these orphans in U.S.\nhomes, because of the overloading of voluntary agency\nfacilities in Saigon caused by the refugee situation.\nWe presently are lining up one or two C-5A planes and\nequipping them to ensure safe transportation and care\nen route. We are also lining up alternative available\nplanes. The flights will begin within the next 36 to\n48 hours and possibly sooner. We are arranging to have\nthe children met at Travis Air Force Base and/or other\nlocations on the west coast and to be cared for upon\narrival.\nWorld Airways brought 57 orphans into Oakland last night\nat 11:30 p.m. This was an unauthorized flight because the\nSouth Vietnam Government, the FAA, and the U.S. Mission in\nSaigon considered the rice cargo plane to be unsafe and\nunsuitable for a long flight of infants across the Pacific.\nWe would welcome World Airways participation as long as\nits flights are safe and appropriate arrangements for\nmedical care made.\nFORD LIBRARY\nThe following agencies with branches in Vietnam are active in\nintercountry adoption work. All are either licensed or in the pro-\ncess of being licensed by the Ministry of Social Welfare of the\nRepublic of Vietnam to handle such adoptions.\nProspective adoptive parents should contact one of the following\nagencies:\nHolt Children's Service\nP.O. Box 2420\n1195 City View Street\nEugene, Oregon 97402\nTelephone: (503) 687-2202\nTAISSA (Traveler's Aid--International\nSocial Services of America)\n345 East 46th Street, Room 715\nNew York, New York 10017\nTelephone: (212) 687-2747\nFriends For All Children\n445 South 68th Street\nBoulder, Colorado 80303\nTelephone: (303) 494-7305\nUnited States Catholic Conference\n201 Park Avenue, South\nNew York, New York 10003\nTelephone: (212) 475-5400\nFriends of Children of Vietnam\n600 Gilpin\nDenver, Colorado 80211\nTelephone: (303) 321-8251 or 8262\nPearl S. Buck Foundation\n2019 DeLancey Place\nPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19103\nTelephone: (215) 732-1030\nWorld Vision Relief Organization\n919 West Huntington Drive\nMonrovia, California 91016'\nTelephone: (213) 357-1111\nBERMAD FORD LIBRABA\nAPR S 1974\nTo: Jack marsh\nFrom: Drent Scrwauft\nWe are seeing a great human tragedy as untold numbers\nof Vietnamese flee the North Vietnamese onslaught. The United\nStates has been doing and will continue to do its utmost to assist\nthese people.\nI have, for example, directed all available naval ships\nto stand off Indochina to do whatever is necessary to assist.\nWe have appealed to the United Nations to use its moral influence\nto permit these innocent people to leave, and we call on North\nVietnam to permit the movement of refugees to areas of their\nchoice.\nThe requirements for the care and ultimate disposition\nof all those who are fleeing from the war will be heavy. Because\nof the large numbers involved and the overwhelming need for\nassistance, I will soon be asking the Congress for additional funds\nto meet this humanitarian requirement. We will as well be working\nwith the humanitarian agencies to do everything humanly possible\nto relieve the tragic plight of these refugees.\nQERALD R. FORD\nWe are seeing a great human tragedy as untold numbers\nof Vietnamese flee the North Vietnamese onslaught. The United\nStates has been doing and will continue to do its utmost to assist\nthese people.\nI have, for example, directed all available naval ships\nto stand off Indochina to do whatever is necessary to assist.\nWe have appealed to the United Nations to use its moral influence\nto permit these innocent people to leave, and we call on North\nVietnam to permit the movement of refugees to areas of their\nchoice.\nThe requirements for the care and ultimate disposition\nof all those who are fleeing from the war will be heavy. Because\nof the large numbers involved and the overwhelming need for\nassistance, I will soon be asking the Congress for additional funds\nto meet this humanitarian requirement. We will as well be working\nwith the humanitarian agencies to do everything humanly possible\nto relieve the tragic plight of these refugees.\nis\nFOR\nGERALD\nAPR 7 1974\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON Date 4/7/75\nTO: Jack morse\nFROM: PATRICK E. O'DONNELL\nFORD\n/\nDEPARTMENT OF STATE\nAGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT\nWASHINGTON. D.C. 20523\nASSISTANT\nADMINISTRATOR\nApril 4, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. Pat 0' 'Donnell\nSUBJECT:\nA.I.D. and Congress Week of March 31, 1975\nAlthough the House and Senate were not in session this week,\nA.I.D. Congressional activity was heavy nonetheless.\nVietnam Refugees\nTelephone Inquiries. Congressional interest in the Vietnam\nrefugee situation was intense this week, as evidenced by the\nhuge volume of calls (some 150-200 on Thursday alone) from\nCongressional offices and members themselves to the Indochina\nEmergency Humanitarian Relief Center in A.I.D. On Wednesday\nand Thursday, the main areas of concern expressed were:\n(1) Is the U.S. doing everything to expedite the evacuation\nof the 2,000 orphans (they do not want \"bureaucratic red tape\"\nto impede that operation) ?\n(2) How can people arrange to adopt the orphans?\n(3) What can be done to get American citizens' Vietnamese\nrelatives out of Vietnam and into the United States?\n(4) What is the U.S. doing for all refugees (the fear\nbeing that people, especially children, will be left behind and\nkilled by the Vietnamese)? Is it enough to move them from\nlocation to location in Vietnam--should they not be moved to\nother areas?\n(5) What can citizens do to help?\nOn Friday, the calls followed most of those concerns with the\naddition of questions regarding the crash of the U.S. plane\ncarrying some 230 orphans.\nAlthough Wednesday's callers voiced only general concern\nand interest in obtaining information on the overall situation,\nsubsequent callers asked many more specific and pointed\nquestions and took an adamant position that the U.S. do all\nnecessary to help the suffering Vietnamese.\n- 2 -\nBriefings. Mr. Parker met with several members of the House\nInternational Relations Committee (including Congressmen Riegle,\nHarrington, and du Pont) at their request to brief them on the\nrefugee situation. In addition to that briefing, two others\nhave been scheduled at the request of Congress. On Monday,\nApril 7, Administrator Parkerorhis Assistant Administrator for\nEast Asia (Arthur Gardiner) and back-up people will participate\nin a briefing for representatives being arranged by Cong.\nPaul E. Tsongas (D.-Mass.). The Congressman has indicated\nparticular interest in assistance to children. Then on Thursday,\nApril 10, at the request of the House Republican Policy Committee,\nMr. ParkerorMr. Gardiner, and back-up people will participate in\na briefing for Hill staffers.\nHearing. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Refugees and\nEscapees (Kennedy) has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday morning,\nApril 8. Mr. Parker, the principal witness, will testify on\nthe refugee situation in South Vietnam and will be asked to\ncomment on Senator Kennedy's S. 1350, authorizing $100,000,000\nfor humanitarian assistance to South Vietnam and Cambodia\nfor expenditure by organizations other than A.I.D. the UN,\nother international organizations, multilateral institutions\nand private voluntary agencies.\nFY 1976 Foreign Economic Assistance Legislation\nA preliminary meeting with members of the Senate Foreign\nAid Subcommittee staff was held this week to discuss generally\nthe FY 1976 authorization legislation. A similar type meeting\nis scheduled early next week with key House International\nRelations Committee staffers.\nA.I.D. Personnel Practices\nThe House Government Operations Subcommittee on Government\nInformation and Individual Rights (Abzug) has scheduled a\nhearing for next Tuesday, April 8, on A.I.D.'s policies\nand practices relating to assignment of direct-hire and con-\ntract personnel to determine whether there are any denials\nof individual rights based on race, sex, religion, or ethnicity.\nMr. H. B. Hopkins, A.I.D.'s Director for Personnel and Manpower,\nwill be the Agency witness.\nMatthew I Starvey\nMatthew J. Harvey\nAssistant Administrator\nfor Legislative Affairs\nLegislative Status\nSubject:\nFY 1976 authorization legisla-\ntion for famine and disaster\nrelief and reconstruction, to\nprovide for famine and disaster\nrelief and reconstruction, to\nprovide for overseas distribu-\ntion and production of agricultural\ncommodities, and for development\nassistance.\nHouse Bill:\nH.R. 2492 (International Disaster,\nFood and Development Assistance\nAct of 1975)\nHouse Status:\nReferred to Committee on Foreign\nAffairs\nSenate Bill:\nNone introduced.\nA.I.D. -- 1974\nLEGISLATION:\nAdministration Proposal: Foreign Assistance Act of 1974; S. 3394 and H.R. 17234\nCurrent Legislation:\nS. 3394 -- Foreign Assistance Act of 1974 (PL 93-559)\nH.R. 4592 -- Foreign Assistance and Related Programs\nAppropriations Bill, 1975 (Pending)\nPROVISIONS:\n1. Administration Proposal: The Administration requested $225.3 million\nfor food and nutrition; $3.9 million for international organizations and\nprograms; $100 million for Middle East special requirements; $939.8 million\nfor Indochina postwar reconstruction; $385.5 million for security supporting\nassistance.\n2. Authorization: The House and Senate authorized $209.0 million for food and\nnutrition; $20 million for population planning and health; $2.0 million\nfor education and human resources; $15.0 million for international organizations\nand programs; $40.0 million for famine and disaster relief; $100.0 million\nfor Middle East special requirements; $617.0 million for Indochina postwar\nreconstruction; $660.0 for security supporting assistance.\n3. Appropriation: The House and Senate approved appropriations in the\namount of $574 million for Development Assistance (including $300.0 million\nfor food and nutrition), $125 million for international organizations and\nprograms, $440 million for Indochina Postwar Reconstruction, $660 million\nfor security supporting assistance and $100 million for the Middle East\nspecial requirements fund.\nSTATUS:\nAuthorization: The President signed the authorization bill on December 30,\n1974 (PL 93-559)\nAppropriation: The President signed the appropriation bill on March 26,\n1974 (PL 94-11).\nTONO\n19/4\nfrom\nLEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS\nupp UNITED STATES OF AMERICA\nCOORDINATION STAFF\nNOTE\nD FOR: Mr. April Russell 7, 1975 this Rourke\nAttached is a list of the Senators\nand Representatives from whose\noffices calls were received by the\nEmergency Center on Mietnam on\nFriday, April 5th. AS I mentioned\non the phone, most of the calls\nconcerned orphans and refugees.\nDirector Christopher H. Russell\nOffice of Legislative Affairs\nAgency for International Development\nFORD LIBRARY is GERALD 0708\nDepartment of State\nWashington, D.C. 20523 Telephone: 632-3652\nSENATORS\nrefrees\nBellmon, Henry (Okla.)\nByrd\nCurtis, Carl (Nebr.)\nCranston, Alan (Calif.)\nDomenici, Pete (N. Mex.)\nEagleton, Thomas (Mo.)\nGoldwater, Barry (Ariz.)\nHumphrey, Hubert (Minn.)\nJavits, Jacob (N.Y.)\nMagnuson, Warren (Wash.)\nMathias, Charles (Md.)\nMcGovern, George (S. Dak.)\nMondale, Walter (Minn.)\nMontoya, Joseph (N. Mex.)\nPackwood, Bob (Oreg.)\nPearson, James (Kansas)\nPotter\nSchweiker, Richard (Pa.)\nScott\nStafford, Robert (Vt.)\nTaft, Robert (Ohio)\nThurman, Strom (S.C.)\nTower, John (Tex.)\nTunney, John (Calif.)\nCONGRESSMEN\nAlexander, Bill (Ark.)\nAnderson, Glenn (Calif.)\nBeard, Edward, (R.I.)\nBedell, Berkely (Iowa)\nBonker, Don (Wash.)\nBreaux, John (La.)\nBurton, Philip (Calif.)\nCederberg, Elford (Mich.)\nCohen, William (Me.)\nCollins\nEdwards, Don (Calif)\nEmery, David (Me.)\nEnglish, Glenn (Okla.)\nEvans\nFenwick, Millicent (N. J.)\nFlood, Daniel (Pa.)\nFlorio, James (N. J.)\nGilman, Benjamin (N. Y.)\nGradison, Willis (Ohio)\nGravel\nGude, Gilbert (Md.)\nHayes, Philip (Ind.)\nHarrington, Michael (Mass.)\nHeckler, Margaret (Mass.)\nHolt, Marjorie (Md.)\nHolzman, Elizabeth (N. Y.)\n- 2 -\nHughes, William (N. J.)\nJeffords, James (Vt.)\nJohnson, James (Colo.)\nKasten, Robert (Wis.)\nLehman, William (Fla.)\nMathis, Dawson (Ga.)\nMc Closkey, Paul (Calif.)\nMcDaniels\nMcDonald, Larry (Ga.)\nMezvinsky, Edward (Iowa)\nMosher, Charles (Ohio)\nMyers\nO'Neill, Thomas (Mass.)\nRichmond, Frederick (N.Y.)\nSeiberling, John (Ohio)\nSolarz, Stephen J. (N. Y.)\nSmith, Neal (Iowa)\nSteiger, Sam (Ariz.)\nTaylor\nTeague, Olin (Tex.)\nVan Deerlin, Lionel (Calif.)\nWydler, John (N.Y.)\nZablocki, Clement (Wis.)\nSENATORS\nBellmon, Henry (Okla.)\nByrd\nCurtis, Carl (Nebr.)\nCranston, Alan (Calif.)\nDomenici, Pete (N. Mex.)\nEagleton, Thomas (Mo.)\nGoldwater, Barry (Ariz.)\nHumphrey, Hubert (Minn.)\nJavits, Jacob (N.Y.)\nMagnuson, Warren (Wash.)\nMathias, Charles (Md.)\nMcGovern, George (S. Dak.)\nMondale, Walter (Minn.)\nMontoya, Joseph (N. Mex.)\nPackwood, Bob (Oreg.)\nPearson, James (Kansas)\nPotter\nSchweiker, Richard (Pa.)\nScott\nStafford, Robert (Vt.)\nTaft, Robert (Ohio)\nThurman, Strom (S.C.)\nTower, John (Tex.)\nTunney, John (Calif.)\nCONGRESSMEN\nAlexander, Bill (Ark.)\nAnderson, Glenn (Calif.)\nBeard, Edward, (R.I.)\nBedell, Berkely (Iowa)\nBonker, Don (Wash.)\nBreaux, John (La.)\nBurton, Philip (Calif.)\nCederberg, Elford (Mich.)\nCohen, William (Me.)\nCollins\nEdwards, Don (Calif)\nEmery, David (Me.)\nEnglish, Glenn (Okla.)\nEvans\nFenwick, Millicent (N. J.)\nFlood, Daniel (Pa.)\nFlorio, James (N. J.)\nGilman, Benjamin (N. Y.)\nGradison, Willis (Ohio)\nGravel\nGude, Gilbert (Md.)\nHayes, Philip (Ind.)\nHarrington, Michael (Mass.)\nHeckler, Margaret (Mass.)\nHolt, Marjorie (Md.)\nHolzman, Elizabeth (N. Y.)\n- 2 -\nHughes, William (N. J.)\nJeffords, James (Vt.)\nJohnson, James (Colo.)\nKasten, Robert (Wis.)\nLehman, William (Fla.)\nMathis, Dawson (Ga.)\nMc Closkey, Paul (Calif.)\nMcDaniels\nMcDonald, Larry (Ga.)\nMezvinsky, Edward (Iowa)\nMosher, Charles (Ohio)\nMyers\nO'Neill, Thomas (Mass.)\nRichmond, Frederick (N.Y.)\nSeiberling, John (Ohio)\nSolarz, Stephen J. (N. Y.)\nSmith, Neal (Iowa)\nSteiger, Sam (Ariz.)\nTaylor\nTeague, Olin (Tex.)\nVan Deerlin, Lionel (Calif.)\nWydler, John (N.Y.)\nZablocki, Clement (Wis.)\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nApril 17, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR.\nTHE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nPHILIP BUCHEN\nJOHN MARSH\nGENERAL SCOWCROFT\nSection 212 (d) (5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act\nprovides inter alia that \"The Attorney General may in his\ndiscretion parole into the United States temporarily under\nsuch conditions as he may prescribe for emergent reasons\nor for reasons deemed strictly in the public interest \" any\nalien applying for admission to the United States\nA history of the use of this authority is provided at\nTab A.\nFrom April 3 through April 15, 1,703 orphans have been\nflown out of Vietnam/Cambodia. The parole process has\nbeen applied in these cases. An updated report of this\naction is attached at Tab B.\nOn April 13, authorization for movement of families\naccompanying U. S. citizens returning from Vietnam was\ngiven. Parole is being used in this action. It is\nestimated that between 3,000 and 5,000 persons are involved.\nIt is now essential to consider additional actions:\n1. There are 1,000 Cambodians now in Thailand who were\nevacuated as part of \"Fagle Pull\" and who may wish to\ncome to the United States. The Thai Government has made\nit clear that it urgently desires their onward movement.\nState and Justice request your authorization to proceed\nwith parole for these persons We recommend your approval.\nAGREF\nDISAGREE\nFORD is LIBRARY 9ERVID\n2\n2. There are about 100 South Vietnamese at Clark Air\nForce Base whose presence is straining our relationship\nwith the Philippine Government. Those who qualify for\nimmigrant status under the INA should be paroled into\nthe United States as soon as possible. State recommends\nthat the remainder also be paroled. INS agrees \"provided\nthat the number admitted is subtracted from the total\nnumber of parolees finally admitted.\" We recommend parole\nwithout caveat.\nAGREE\nDISAGREE\n3. There are approximately 3,000 Vietnamese relatives of\nAmerican citizens or permanent resident aliens in the United\nStates for whom petitions for entry have already been filed\nand who would otherwise be admissible in due course under\nnormal immigration procedures. State and INS recommend the\nuse of parole to permit their processing to be completed\nwhile they are in the United States. Their status will\nthen be converted to the appropriate INA preference as soon\nas feasible after their arrival here as parolees. We recom-\nmend your approval.\nAGREE\nDISAGREE\n4. There are also Vietnamese nationals (estimated to number\nbetween 10,000 and 75,000) who are immediate relatives of\nAmerican citizens and permanent residents and for whom\npetitions have not as yet been filed. The number of those\nwho would and could accept an offer of parole is unknown.\nState and Justice both recommend parole. We recommend\nyour approval.\nAGREE\nDISAGREE\n5. Approximately 5,000 Cambodian diplomats and other\nrefugees in third countries may face forcible return or\nexpulsion, as in India. If the worst should come to pass,\nthe same parole authority will be required for Vietnamese\ndiplomats and other refugees in third countries, also\nroughly estimated at 5,000. State will make every effort\nto assist and persuade the UNHC for Refugees to arrange\nfor the relocation of refugees throughout the world, but\nState also wishes the President to request the Justice\nFORD is LIBRARY SERVIC\n- 3 -\nDepartment to authorize entry into the United States of all\nsuch persons by parole whenever State determines that the\nefforts of the UNHC for Refugees are not successful.\nWe recommend that the State Department position be accepted.\nAGREE\nDISAGREE\n6. Planning is also now required for the potential evacuation\nof certain high risk Vietnamese. These include U. S. employees,\nlabor leaders engaged in the free trade labor movement (parti-\ncularly those who have worked with U. S. unions), governmental\npersonnel and others along with their dependents. There is no\nclear indication of just how great the number will be. Every\neffort will be made to involve third countries, both directly\nand through international mechanisms such as the UNHCR and the\nInternational Committee for European Refugees. Nevertheless,\nit is apparent that a large number will wish to come to the\nUnited States. This will require the Attorney General's use\nof parole.\nState and INS agree that parole should be exercised for such\nVietnamese, but differ sharply as to numbers.\nState believes that we should take our fair share of refugees\nwho are unable to be settled elsewhere, and recognizes that\nthe total number, given logistical and political limitations\ncould be approximately 200,000. INS would limit the use of\nparole to 50,000 or 40% of the total number to be evacuated,\nwhichever is less. It is their view that (1) the domestic\nimpact on our society of admitting a large number is undesir-\nable and (2) the Cuban experiences, wherein the President\npermitted 675,000 persons to enter the United States, should\nnot be repeated. The INS also believes that it may be\nnecessary to publicly announce this limit to prevent a mass\nexodus based on false hopes.\nThe State Department has now accepted the INS limitation\nbased upon presently perceived political problems with the\nU. S. Congress.\nWe recommend that planning begin at once to process parole\ncandidates from the category of \"high-risk\" Vietnamese but\nthat we not attempt to set a limit now. When planning is\ncompleted and when efforts of International cooperation have\ngone further you will better be able to determine what is\npossible. Practically, it may not be possible to reach the\nLIDERAL GERALD FORD\n4 -\nlevel of 200,000 that the State Department originally fore-\nsaw.\nAGREE\nDISAGREE\n7. We recommend that you direct establishment of a small\nfull-time task force with the necessary authority to improve\nyour decision making data base, assume interdepartmental\ncoordination, and advise you in this emergency. This task\nforce should include high level representatives from the\nDepartments of State, Justice, Labor, HEW and HUD.\nAGREE\nDISAGREE\nFORD is LIBRARY 078820\nHISTORY OF THE USE OF PAROLE\nParole is a device by which an inadmissible alien seeking\nentry is permitted to proceed into the United States, but\nin contemplation of law is considered to be standing at\nthe water's edge. He is not deemed to be in the United\nStates within the meaning of the expulsion provisions or\nother provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.\nStanding at the water's edge, as it were, he may be re-\nmoved only in exclusion proceedings.\nParcle is resorted to only in exceptional situations such\nas emergent medical treatment, avoiding unwarranted deten-\ntion, and prosecution of criminals returned to the United\nStates. It has also been used for refugees and orphans.\nThe first express statutory authorization for parole\nappeared in the Immigration and Nationality Act which\nbecame effective December 24, 1952. 1/ The statute provides\nthat the Attorney General in his discretion may parole any\nalien seeking admission for emergent reasons or for reasons\ndeemed strictly in the public interest.\nBefore 1952 parole was utilized as an administrative\nexpedient. It's peculair status was recognized by the\nSupreme Court 50 years ago in the case of Kaplan V, Toa. 3/\nThere has never been any question concerning the authority\nto parole individual aliens. However, questions have been\nraised by the Congress concerning authority to parole groups\nof aliens. For example, a question was raised after 224\nRussian Orthodox Old Believers were paroled into the United\nStates in June 1963. In the House Report on the 1965 Amend-\nments, which established permanent Legislation for the con-\nditional entry of refugees, the following statement was made:\n\"The parole provisions were designed to authorize the Attorney\nGeneral to act only in emergent, individual and isolated situa-\ntions, such as the case of an alien who requires immediate medi-\ncal attention, and not for the immigration of classes or groups\noutside of the limit of the law. If 47\nNevertheless, under the general parole authority of the 1952\nAct, large numbers of refugees have been allowed to come into\nthe United States after, as well as before publication of the\nHouse Report. 5/ These include:\nOver 30,000 refugees from the 1956 Hungarian Revolution,\nGERALD LISAARY FORD\nby direction of President Eisenhower.\nOver 600,000 refugees from Cuba who began to come to the\nUnited States in an almost unbroken stream for more than\na decade after the Castro takeover in 1959. (In 1965 when\n-2-\nhe signed into law the abolition of the National\nOrigins System, President Johnson revived the Cuban\nparole program despite the House report.)\n15,000 Chinese refugees from Hong Kong, by direction\nof President Kennedy in 1962.\n6,500 Czechoslovak refugees after the Soviet invasion\nof that country in 1968, at the urging of Congress.\nSeveral hundred Soviet Jews and other minorities in\nthe U.S.S.R., at the urging of Congress in 1971.\n1,000 stateless Ugandan-Asians, authorized in 1972,\nat the urgent request of the State Department.\nFollowing the suppression of the abortive Hungarian revolt\nin the Fall of 1956 over 200,000 Hungarian refugees fled\nthe country, especially to Austria (180,000) and to Yugo-\nslovia (20,000). Resettlement missions from many countries\nwere eager to accept Hungarian refugees, and the asylum\ncountries --- especially Austria -- served as staging areas.\nPresident Eisenhower and the American people in general were\neager to accept a generous quota of the Hungarians. Fewer\nthan 7,000 refugee visas remained available, however, under\nthe Refugee Relief Act of 1953 as amended. These were quickly\nused for Hungarians. AL this juncture the decision was made\nto invoke Section 212 (d) (5) of the Immigration and National-\nity Act in order to parole larger numbers of Hungarian refu-\ngees into the United States.\nThe sympathetic 85th Congress enacted P.L. 85-559, which\nprovides for adjustment of status of paroled Hungarians\nto that of permanent immigrants to the U.S. The majority of\nthe refugees were brought in from Austria into a U.S. staging\narea, in Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, administered by the Depart-\nment of the Army. The refugees were resettled from Camp\nKilmer, primarily through the efforts of interested voluntary\nagencies. A total of 30,701 Hungarian refugees regularized\ntheir status in the United States under P.L. 85-559 during\n1953-59. This represented the overwhelming majority of the\nHungarian refugees who were paroled into this country.\nThe Cuban refugee situation differs from others in that the\nUnited States was the country of first asylum. From 1957-\n72 this country admitted 621,403 Cuban nationals who fled\nfrom Cuba. That exodus was generally divided into three\ndistinct periods: from the advent of the Castro government\nin 1959 to the breaking of diplomatic relations in January\n1961; from 1961 until the end of commercial travel in\nOctober, 1962; the subsequent period. While diplomatic\nDERALD FORD\n-3-\nrelations existed, Cubans who wanted to leave Cuba went to\nthe consulate in Havana. They were issued B-2 (tourist\nvisas) which documented them and enabled commercial carriers\nto bring them to the United States. On arrival (usually\nMiami) the B-2 visa was cancelled by the Immigration Service\n(INS) and they were paroled into the United States under the\npurole provisions of the Immigration Act. The B-2 visa was\npro-forma\" documentation to enable travel to commence.\nAfter the break in diplomatic relations, the United States\ninitially avoided the use of parole for Cubans fleeing the\nisland the resorted to the device of waiving the visa re-\ncuirement on a mass basis on the theory that each case\nrepresented an unforeseen emergency because of the unavail-\nability of consular services in Cuba. This program largely\nterminated at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962\nbecause travel out of Cuba became impossible.\nIn October 1962, all commercial transportation between Cuba\nand the U.S. ended. The Cuban refugee flow was reduced to\na trickle. In December 1962 the American Red Cross began\nsponsoring airflights and vessels which brought Cuban refu-\ngees to the United States, primarily relatives of Cubans\nalready here and prisoners from the \"Bay of Pigs\" invasion.\nThese people were directly paroled.\nIn 1965. Castro announced that certain Cubans who wanted to\nLeave were free to do so. President Johnson responded that\nthe U.S. would accept all. Direct parole was the method of\nentry. Some Cubans went to third countries (primarily Spain)\n2S they were unable to get places on the airlifts. Those with\nclose relatives in, the U.S. were given \"pre-parole\" documenta-\ntion (medicals, affidavit of support, security clearance) by\nOUR consulate in Madrid. When they arrived at the U.S. port\nof entry, they were paroled into the U.S. by INS. In October,\n1973, the Attorney General agreed to a one year parole pro-\ngram for those without close relatives here. Documentation\nwas prepared by the consulates as with the pre-parole program,\nbut INS personnel interviewed and issued the actual parole\ndocument in Madrid. Cubans in the U.S. were received and\nprocessed by the Cuban Refugee Center in Miami run by HEW.\nThe Act of November 2, 1966 enabled Cuban refugees to adjust\nstatus to permanent residents.\nFORD in 07V830 LIBRARY\n16 April 1975\nPoint Paper for the Special Assistant to the Secretary and\nDeputy Secretary of Defense\nSUBJECT: Orphan Evacuation Program - Vietnam/Cambodia\nMAIN THRUST OF POINT PAPER\n-- Provides an update on the orphan evacuation program.\nDISCUSSION\n- On 3 Apr 75, DOD developed. procedures for orphan evacuation.\nState/AID wholeheartedly concurred.\n-- All orphans, upon verification by US Embassy in Vietnam\nand Cambodia, would be airlifted on first available\nmilitary or commercial contract aircraft to Clark AB.\n--- At Clark AB medical evaluation would be made to determine if\norphans should be hospitalized, proceed on normal airlift,\nor be medically evacuated.\n--- Flights then proceed to San Francisco or Los Angeles with\nSeattle as backup where military and volunteer agency\npersonnel would further process them.\n- From 3 through 15 April a total of 1703 orphans (52 Cambodians)\nhave been flown out of Vietnam/Cambodia. Military Airlift Command\n(MAC) transported 883 through Clark AFB, Philippines, of which 43\nare currently enroute. Non-DOD carriers, chartered by private\narrangements, transported the balance of 820 orphans.\n-- 914 orphans have been moved to San Francisco.\n--- 330 orphans have been moved to Los Angeles.\n-- 409 orphans have been moved to Seattle.\n--- 201 orphans have been moved to Fort Benning, Ga.\n(These figures do not total 1703 due to double handling, i.e.,\nL.A. and Benning)\n- Number and location of orphans currently being processed:\n-- Clark AB, Philippines - 5 hospitalized.\nHickam AB, Hawaii - 5 hospitalized.\nSan Francisco - 65\nLos Angeles - 87\nSeattle - 18\nFort Benning -- 170 (14 hospitalized)\nFORD is LIBRARY\n-- Enroute 43 from Clark AB to Los Alamedas Air Station, Ca.\n- Deaths:\n--- 5 April crash of C-5 -- 190 (figure not final)\n-- One died enroute to Clark AB - cause of death, extreme\ndehydration. (Infant)\n--- One died at Clark AB Hospital - cause of death, sepsis\n(absorption of pathogenic microorganisms into blood stream)\n(Infant)\n-- One died enroute to Los Angeles - cause of death, pneumonia,\ndehydration and prematurity. Reported 24 days old.\n-- Prognosis - No more deaths expected.\n- Future orphan airlift requirements:\n-- Known - zero - original \"Reported 2000\" all processed\n-- Possible - 80 (Vietnam) Rumors of 500 to 5000 more.\nTracking this.\n- Problems:\n-- Despite the official State/AID/DOD system, certain individuals\nhave operated as free agents making arrangments for contract\nflights and direct liaison with the orphanages.\n--- This has caused considerable confusion and resulted in less\nthan desirable service for the orphans.\n--- News reporters covering commercial arrivals at San\nFrancisco and Seattle (outside the State/AID/DOD system)\ncited health problems with orphans on these flights.\n- Current funding status (funded by State/AID) :\n-- Airlift $1,156,772\n-- Medical 166,938\n--- Support\n71,916\n--- Total obligated as of 15 Apr - $1,395,626\nPrepared by: MGEN M.F. Casey, USAF\nDOD Orphan Lift Coordinator\nOX 74121\nFORD & G7V839 LIBRARY\n2\n867\nCOPY\nFLASH\nDE RUEADWW #2357 1188241\nZ 2802472 APR 75 ZFF-1\nFM THE WHITE HOUSE\nTO CDR. 13TH AF/CLARK APB PHILI\nN\n*\nTo\n#158789\nATTENTION: MAJOR GENERAL MANOR\n1. IN THE EVENT YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED EARLIER COMMUNICATION\nFROM LT. GEN, BRENT SCOWCROFT AUTHORIZING TRAVEL ABOARD USS,\nMILITARY AIRCRAFT TO SAIGON FOR TOM STEBBINS, THIS MESSAGE\nIS A RECONFIRMATION, IT ALSO REQUESTS THAT YOU CONTACT ON RECEIPT,\nTOM STEBBINS, C/O CHAPLAIN RAGE, CLARK AFB, 33687 OR 62392,\n2. STEBBINS IS ASSOCIATED WITH UnS, MISSIONARY EFFORT AND\nEVACUATION OF SOUTH VIETNAMESE, HE IS WORKING WITH THE\nMISSIONARY GROUP THERE.\n3, REGARDS.\nJOHN 0, MARSH, COUNCELLOR TO THE PRESIDENT\nBT\nMessage delivered to General Manor at 2258 EDT, 27 April 1975.\n*WHSR COMMENT\nSCOWCROFT, MARSH\nRECALLED\nPSN#821581\nPAGE 01\nOF 01\nTOR#118/02841Z\nDTG#280247Z APR 75\nCOPY\nDetermined to be an administrative marking\nCancelled per E.O. 12356, Sec. 1.3 and\nArchivist's memo of March 16, 1983\nFORD is LIBRAR) 07V829\nDDD NARG date 1/9/86\nBy\n884\nD*******8 COPY\nROUTINE\nDE RHMDWLA #9289 1188331\nUNCLAS SVC ZEQ-3 RUEADWW2358 1180314 280318Z APR 75\nRHMIAAA 280330Z,\nBT\nMessage delivered to Sea. Manor\nan 2330 EDT 27 april\nFORD is LIBRARY 07VR70\nRECALLED:\nPSN#021554\nPAGE 01\nOF 01\nTOR:118/03139Z\n*******U NCLASSIFIE D*******8 COPY\n869\nCOPY\nFLASH\nDE RUEADWW #2358 1180314\nZ 2803182 APR 75 ZPF-1\nFM THE WHITE HOUSE\nTO COR, 13TH AF/CLARK AFB PHILI\nWH50770\nATTENTION: MAJOR GENERAL MANOR\n1: MR. DREW SAWIN IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE CLARK AIR FORCE BASE\nWITMIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS FROM THE U.S, HE IS WORKING WITH DR, GRAMAM\nAND THE EVACUATION EFFORT, HE WILL BE CONTACTING YOU AND I WOULD BE\nGRATEFUL IF YOU COULD ARRANGE TO MEET WITH MIM.\n2. REGARDS.\nJOHN 0, MARSH, COUNCELLOR TO THE PRESIDENT\nBT\nMessage delivered to General Manor at 2330 EDT 27 April, 1975.\nGERALD LIBRARY FORD\nWHSR COMMENT\nSCOWCROFT, MARSH\nRECALLED\nPSN8021605\nPAGE 01\nOF 01\nTOR:118/03:14Z\nDTG:280318Z APR 75\nCOPY\nDetermined to be an administrative marking\nCancelled per E.O. 12356, Sec. 1.3 and\nArchivist's memo of March 16, 1983\nBy\nDAY NARS date 1/9/86\n871\n*******U INCLASSIFIE D*******S\nCOPY\nOP IMMED\nDE RMMICSA #9973 1180330\nUNCLAS SVC...ZUI RUEADWW 2357 1180241 2 2802472 APR 75 ZFF=1\nZDF-2 ZUB 20258Z IU 2802582\nBT\nmessage delivered to Gen. manor\nat 2258 EDT 27 april\nFORD is LIBRARY\nWHSR COMMENT\nSCONCROFT, MARSH\nRECALLED\nPSN:021619 PAGE 01 OF 01 TOR#118/03,352\n******** NCLASSIFIE D*******S COPY\n0\nsent ey TO mans\n4/29%\nSCOWCROFT FROM BROWN\nPlease pass following to. Jack Marsh as soon as possible.\nHerewith the list of the voluntary agencies who are\ncooperating directly with us at this time on Vietnamese\nrelief. I think a phone call to Sternberg from the\nWhite House would be useful. He should be told that the\nAdvisory Commission will bolster the efforts of the\nVOLAGS and that the USG is confident that the agencies\nwill continue their great work and is deeply appreciative.\nPass to Ted Marrs via\nJun\n1080 is LIBRARY GERALD\nVOLUNTARY AGENCIES - BACKGROUND\nOrganization\n--Central Agencies coordinating agency is American Council of Voluntary\n--For refugees it has a Refugee and Migration Committee\nheaded by Charles Sternberg\ncast of Characters\nni.\n--Members of VOLAG Committee who may be present are:\n(1) International Rescue Committee\n-- Charles Sternberg, Exec. Director\n(2) Church World Services\n(Under National Council of Churches)\n-- John Schauer\n(3) Lutheran Refugee Committee\n-- Donald Anderson\n(4) Catholic Migration Conference\n--- John McCarthy, Coordinator\n(5) Tolstoy Foundation\n-- Mr. Toma\nImmignation and\n(5) United HIAS (Hebrew Int 1 Assistance Service)\n-- Gaynor Jacobson\n(7) American Fund for Czech Relief\n-- Dr. Papanek\nOthers\n-- ICRC and YMCA may also be represented.\nFORD s LIBRARY 07V839\n[man 1975]\nDifferences Between The House and Senate Versions of the Refugee Authorization\nBill\nThe bill passed by the Senate on Friday differs from the House bill in these respects:\n1.\nThe Senate bill has a ceiling of $405 Million - the House bill has\na ceiling of $507 Million.\n2.\nThe Senate bill requires that the President make every effort to\nretrieve all amounts previously authorized and appropriated for\nassistance to South Vietnam and Cambodia and requires that the\namounts retrieved be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous\nreceipts. The House bill has no such provision. (The Senate,\nin what is believed to be a major concession to the House, retreated\nfrom its previous position of requiring the amounts retrieved to be\ndeducted from the $405 Million made available under the bill. It is a\nprovision which DOD and AID objected to because of the difficulty\nand time that it would take to identify the assets of the pipeline and\nto retrieve them.)\n3.\nThe McGovern amendment in the Senate bill requires a survey\namong refugees to determine which ones would desire to return to\nSouth Vietnam and Cambodia, and makes available funds from\nthis act to provide commercial or military transportation or\nthrough other means to their home land. That McGovern Amend-\nment had been rejected in the House and would not be acceptable\nin the Senate passed bill. You will recall that on Friday, Senator\n-mentioned to you that actually a substantial part of the requirement\nof the McGovern Amendment was already a part of the basic law,\nparticularly as it relates to the survey of incoming immigrants.\n-2-\n4.\nThe Huddleston Amendment in the Senate bill imposes a detailed\nreporting requirement upon the President to transmit a report\nto the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations, Judiciary and\nAppropriations, but in the House only to the Speaker, which is a\nmajor point of disagreement with the House which in its version\nrequired a much simpler reporting requirement to the House\nCommittee on the Judiciary in addition to the Senate Committee\non Foreign Relations. (The House Judiciary Committee which\nfeels very strongly about its over-sight role in refugee and migration\nassistance matters, will fight to keep its prerogatives in this regard.\nAlso, the INS had indicated that this Huddleston reporting require-\nment would create an undue burden of paperwork and manpower to\nprovide such detailed information which they feel would be unwarranted.)\nMAY 5 1975\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nm\nMay 5, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nMAX L. FRIEDERSDORF m.b.\nSUBJECT:\n\"Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1975\"\nCongressmen Broomfield, Hutchinson and Fish today co-sponsored\nin the House the new Administration package for migration and\nresettlement of South Vietnamese refugees.\nFORD & LIBRARY 07V939\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nMay 6, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR:\nTHE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nRON NESSEN\nSUBJECT:\nTalking points for your news conference\nand Cabinet Meeting on refugee aid.\n1. We have a moral obligation to help these refugees resettle and begin\nnew lives in the United States. They fled from South Vietnam for two\nreasons: They feared that they would be killed if they stayed and they\ndid not want to live under a Communist system of government.\n2. By helping these refugees, many of whom fled their native land with\nnothing but the clothes on their backs and a few small parcels, we are\nliving up to our heritage as a charitable and compassionate people. I\nhave spoken out strongly on this issue because I believe strongly that we\nmust do the right thing morally. We are a nation of immigrants and I\nbelieve the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, which enunciates our\nfinest qualities as a people should be our guidepost in this tragic situation.\n3. The maximum number of refugees expected is 150,000 at the most and it\nprobably will be less. Sixty percent of that number are children, the\ninnocent victims of this war who deserve a chance to live their life in\nfreedom and will certainly not be taking anyone's job away. Only 35,000\nrefugees are heads of households who will be looking for jobs; but many\nof these have skills which will enable them to find employment. The number\nof job seekers is a tiny fraction of 1% of the labor force in the U.S.\nEven without the Vietnamese refugees, the U.S. has been opening its doors\nto 400,000 immigrants a year without any impact on the job market. Since\nthe end of World War II, almost 1,400,000 refugees from Europe, Asia,\nHungary and Cuba have fled oppression and sought freedom in the United States.\nThey have made a rich contribution to our culture and our economy and we\nexpect the Vietnamese will do the same.\n4. Many of the Vietnamese refugees coming here have close relatives or\nsponsors in the United States so they will be no burden to the government.\nAmbassader Brown's office at the State Department is using a computer\nto match up the refugees job skills with the available jobs. The re-\nsettlement program is being carried out in such a way that the refugees\nwill be spread throughout the country without a heavy concentration in any\none area.\nPage 2\n5. We are working with other countries to resettle perhaps as many as\n20,000 of the refugees outside the United States. Canada is welcoming\nsome. Some French-speaking countries in Africa have indicated that they\nwill take some.\n6. I have received communications from Pope Paul, George Meany, and other\nleaders praising the refugee resettlement program and urging that the\nUnited States do everything it can to help these people. I want to\ncompliment the Members of Congress, the Governors, the private refugee relief\norganizations, and the members of the public who have spoken out and acted\nto help the refugees begin a new life in the United States.\n7. I want to emphasize one point. It is my intention that none of\nthe aid money I am requesting from Congress will be spent by the United\nStates Government to help the Communists of North and South Vietnam.\nI believe it is the responsibility of the nations which sent weapons of\nwar to the Communists to come forward now to repair the damage.\n8. Let me emphasize once more my deep moral commitment to help these\nrefugees resettle and begin new lives in the United States. Despite the\nopposition of a few, I believe the majority of the American people want\nto live up to the finest traditions of our history and welcome these new\nimmigrants as we have welcomed so many immigrants to our bountiful land\nin the past. We will be = better country and = better people for doing\nit.\n9. I know Americans want to forget the Vietnam war. But we must not take out\nour frustration and anger on the innocent victims of that war. To do so\nwould dishonor the sacrifices America has made in good faith throughout\nthis long war.\nMAY 6 1975\nMay 5, 1975\nM\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nMAX L. FRIEDERSDORF\nSUBJECT:\nRepublican Leadership Meeting\nSecretary Kissinger has cancelled out of the leadership\nmeeting tomorrow morning and the refugee situation briefing\nwill be handled by General Brent Scowcroft, Dan Parker and\nDean Brown.\nAlthough draft legislation for refugee resettlement was\nintroduced in the House today, official transmission of the\nmassage and bill will be made Tuesday.\nbec: Don Rumsfeld\nJack Marsh\nBrent Scowcroft\nLISBARY GERALD A. FORD\nmr marsh\nMAY 13 1975\nEXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT\nOFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET\nWASHINGTON, D.C. 20503\nACTION\nMAY 13 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR:\nTHE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nJAMES T. LYNN\nSUBJECT:\nAvailability of Funds to Meet\nIndochina Refugee Requirements\nThere are three reasons for the slowdown in refugee\nproceessing:\nInadequate funds.\nLegal restrictions on the use of existing\nfunds for resettlement activities in the\nU.S.\nAdministrative bottlenecks in processing\nthe refugees.\nFunding Availabilities. AID has transferred to State\n$98 million in economic assistance funds which had been\nprogrammed for Vietnam. Against these availabilities,\nthe Task Force has identified $93 million in costs\nwhich have been incurred, primarily by Defense. A1-\nthough this estimate may change somewhat, State and\nDefense believe they are not legally able under the\nAntideficiency Act to obligate funds above the avail-\nable $98 million.\nThe only solution to this problem is to transfer already\nappropriated Defense funds to State for the refugee pro-\ngram. As much as $50-100 million may ultimately be de-\nobligated from the canceled Defense Assistance to Vietnam\naccount and transferred to State. Although the final\navailabilities will not be known for 30 days, Defense\nis attempting to determine whether it has legal authority\nto make an initial transfer ($17 million) to State within\nthe next few days. Defense is moving as fast as possible\nto identify the amount and timing of further deobligations\nfrom this source.\nWe have also explored the possibility of transferring\nfunds from other existing sources, particularly AID, as\nsuggested to you by Senators Scott and Mansfield. AID\nis specifically prohibited by restrictions in the 1974\n2\nForeign Assistance Act from transferring funds into the\nIndochina Postwar Reconstruction account (which is the\nonly account that provides authority for refugee relief).\nAlthough we are continuing to examine other alternatives,\nwe have been unable to discover any transfer authorities\nwhich would enable us to utilize other funds.\nLegal Restrictions. AID lawyers have ruled that they do\nnot have the authority to use the existing funds for re-\nsettlement of refugees once they have left the processing\ncenters in the United States. Because the funds are still\ngoverned by the authorities of the Foreign Assistance Act,\nthe lawyers do not believe they can be used for resettle-\nment activities in the United States which are more in the\nnature of domestic welfare activities. Nevertheless, the\nlawyers recognize that a legally defensible case might be\nmade for use of these funds for resettlement, if necessary,\nbut argue that it would be stretching the interpretation.\nThe legal interpretation is critical since most refugees\ncannot be moved out of the processing centers until funds\nare provided to the voluntary agencies responsible for re-\nsettlement. There is no space for more refugees in the\ncenters, so no further progress will be possible until\nnew funds are appropriated for this purpose or a decision\nis made to use the existing funds from foreign aid sources\nto resettle refugees.\nAdministrative Bottlenecks. Even if funds were available\nfor resettlement, there are short-term administrative con-\nstraints on processing the refugees. Of particular concern\nis the need to implement the security clearance procedures\npromised to Congress. Five separate clearances are re-\nquired (CIA, DIA, State, FBI, and DEA), and these are\nproceeding slowly. As of yesterday, of the 6,000 names\nsubmitted at Fort Chaffee, less than 100 had been cleared.\nOnce the clearance process has been fully implemented,\nhowever, the Task Force expects to clear 3,000-5,000 per\nday, perhaps as early as the end of the week.\nAs the flow of refugees from the centers increases, prob-\nlems will intensify in arranging transportation and particu-\nlarly in locating and checking sponsors for the bulk of the\nrefugees who do not have direct sponsors. These constraints\nwill continue to slow the movement of refugees out of the\ncenters and would be causing a backup in the pipeline even\nwithout the funding problems.\n3\nRecommended actions\nAssuming that you wish to use existing funds wherever\npossible, I recommend that you instruct OMB to (1) work\nwith Defense to transfer the maximum funds from Indo-\nchina military aid to State as soon as possible, and\n(2) request AID to reexamine its preliminary legal judg-\nment to see whether the funds transferred to State could\nnot be used for refugee resettlement as well as processing\nin the United States. I will provide a status report to\nyou on Thursday.\nApprove\nSee me\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nMay 14\nWASHINGTON\nMr. Marsh --\nPer Max's office:\nThe Senate Appropriations Committee\nreported out the Refugee bill at\n$405 Million. Expected to be on\nthe Senate Floor tomorrow.\ndonna\nFORD is LIBRARY GERALD\nshowed Jom\n5-15\nMay 17, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nJACK MARSH\nAs you are aware, the problem has developed between the House\nand Senate on the differences on the two versions of the Refugee\nAssistance Act. Attached is a summary which points out the\nbasic differences between the two bills.\nWe are endeavoring to resolve this and hope to have more\ncomplete information early Monday morning.\nFORD & LIBRARY 079830\nDifferences Between The House and Senate Versions of the Refugee Authorization\nBill\nThe bill passed by the Senate on Friday differs from the House bill in these respects:\n1.\nThe Senate bill has a ceiling of $405 Million - the House bill has\na ceiling of $507 Million.\n2.\nThe Senate bill requires that the President make every effort to\nretrieve all amounts previously authorized and appropriated for\nassistance to South Vietnam and Cambodia and requires that the\namounts retrieved be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous\nreceipts. The House bill has no such provision. (The Senate,\nin what is believed to be a major concession to the House, retreated\nfrom its previous position of requiring the amounts retrieved to be\ndeducted from the $405 Million made available under the bill. It is a\nprovision which DOD and AID objected to because of the difficulty\nand time that it would take to identify the assets of the pipeline and\nto retrieve them.)\n3.\nThe McGovern amendment in the Senate bill requires a survey\namong refugees to determine which ones would desire to return to\nSouth Vietnam and Cambodia, and makes available funds from\nthis act to provide commercial or military transportation or\nthrough other means to their home land. That McGovern Amend-\nment had been rejected in the House and would not be acceptable\nin the Senate passed bill. You will recall that on Friday, Senator\nFORD LIBRARY is\nCase-mentioned to you that actually a substantial part of the requirement\nof the McGovern Amendment was already a part of the basic law,\nparticularly as it relates to the survey of incoming immigrants.\n-2-\n4.\nThe Huddleston Amendment in the Senate bill imposes a detailed\nreporting requirement upon the President to transmit a report\nto the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations, Judiciary and\nAppropriations, but in the House only to the Speaker, which is a\nmajor point of disagreement with the House which in its version\nrequired a much simpler reporting requirement to the House\nCommittee on the Judiciary in addition to the Senate Committee\non Foreign Relations. (The House Judiciary Committee which\nfeels very strongly about its over-sight role in refugee and migration\nassistance matters, will fight to keep its prerogatives in this regard.\nAlso, the INS had indicated that this Huddleston reporting require-\nment would create an undue burden of paperwork and manpower to\nprovide such detailed information which they feel would be unwarranted.)\nFORD :- LIBRARY 078835\nMay 19\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nTO:\nTED MARRS\nFROM: JOHN O. MARSH, JR.\nFor Direct Reply\nFor Draft Response\nFor Your Information\nPlease Advise\nFor your advise and guidance. Thanks.\nMAY 19. 1975\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nMay 17, 1975\nMEMORANDUM FOR\nJACK MARSH\nFROM:\nSUBJECT:\nVietnamese Jun Refugee Relocation\nJIM CANNON\nSeveral days ago, Roger Semeradmand wit\nRoss Perob, at his suggestion, about Vietnam\nrefugees.\nAs you know, Ross.has had asstrong personalmi nterest\nin U.S. prisoners in North Vietnam and with what pri\nvate citizens might do to assist with the resolution*\nof the Vietnamese war.\nRoss had a specific proposal -- that the*President\ninvite the churches.of the country to sponsor them\nsettlement.of the Vietnamese refugee families, see\nto it that they get transportation to their new\nplaces of residence, placed in houses, and found jobs.\nRoss tronglynthat the churches would respond»\nfavorab. yato request from the President and that\nthe whole effort could be coordinated by one institution\nacceptable to all churches -- the Salvation Army.\nRoss says-he has discussed this with Father Hesburgh,\nBilly Graham, and with leaders in both the Methodist\nand Presbyterian churches. By his account, they are\nenthusiastic and would be glad to work with the\nPresident to carry out this program of resettlement\nthrough churches, with each volunteering to take a\nfamily and see to their location.\nRoss also feels that this will work best if each church\nis asked to bear the cost of each family and not to\nFORD LIBRARY is GENALD\nexpect any federal financial assistance. but if any\ninitial money is needed to start the program, he would\nbe glad to assist personally in the financing.\nJune 9\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nMr. Marsh --\nTed Marrs dropped over\nthe attached for your\ninfo.\nThanks.\ndonna\nGERALD ANVEDIT . FORD\nDEPARTMENT OF STATE\n3\nWashington. D C. 20520\nJUN\n9\nMEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT\nTHROUGH:\nMr. Ron Nessen\nFROM:\nalia\nJulia Vadala Taft, Director, Inter-Agency\nTask Force on Indochinese Refugees (IATF)\nSUBJECT:\nComments on the Kennedy Subcommittee Report\nA report released today by Senator Edward Kennedy,\nChairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Refugees\nlists several recommendations related to the refugee\nprogram. Cited below are those recommendations with a\nbrief statement of the Task Force position:\n1. Up-Grading the Resettlement Program. Kennedy charges\na lack of Presidential commitment and urges immediate\nupgrading of level of responsibility and Presidential\nconcern for resettlement. He states the program is\n\"scarcely off the ground and refugees could remain in\ncamps for months or years.'\nIATF: The program has consistently received\nPresidential support, and the Task Force remains a\nWhite House level operation with its new director, Julia\nVadala Taft, reporting to the President and his advisor\nfor National Security Affairs. The program is off the\nground and progress is impressive. In seven weeks, almost\n25% of the refugees have been released to third countries\nor resettled in the United States.\n2. Resettlement in Other Countries. The report accurately\nstates that the Administration estimated that 20,000 refugees\nwould resettle in third countries and charges that the much\nfewer numbers (1900) reflects on the slowness on the part\nof the President's program.\nIATF: The initial progress of third country placement\nwas disappointing. But in recent weeks the Intergovernmental\nCommittee on European Migration has expanded its activities\non Guam and at stateside reception centers to a point that\n3405 persons have been released and many additional refugees\nFORD is LIBRARY 078838\n- 2 -\nare in the process of registering for third countries.\n3. Voluntary Repatriation to Cambodia or South Vietnam.\nThe Report comments on the \"Administration's belated\nrecognition of the need to provide opportunities for\nrepatriation\" but states that the Administration is working\nwith the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.\nIATF: We have consistently supported the UNHCR's\ntraditional role to assist in repatriation. UNHCR has\nrepresentatives in Guam, Pendleton, Chaffee, Indiantown\nGap, and will visit Eglin later this week to process\nquestionnaires. Of the 131, 000 refugees, approximately\n1,563 have requested repatriation.\n4. Better Structuring of Task Force and Transfer to HEW.\nThe report concurs. with the continuation of the Task Force\nheaded by a Presidential appointee, but charges that HEW\nshould be the clearly defined focal point for resettlement.\nIATF: No decision has been reached on final organiza-\ntional location although the shift toward domestic agency\nparticipation has been accelerating. The Director is a\nsenior HEW official and staff support from domestic\nagencies, primarily HEW, is expanding.\n5. Moving Refugees From Guam. The Report recommends that\ndue to deteriorating conditions in Guam and potential\ntyphoons that substantial numbers of refugees be processed\nto stateside and that an additional reception center be\nestablished.\nIATF: No new centers are envisioned at this time.\nWith current rate of out-processing in the States, Guam will\nhave no more refugees by the end of July. In our initial\ndirective to Guam in May, we stated Guam should get prepared\nto house/feed 50,000 for 3 months. We are on target.\n6. Role of Voluntary Agencies. The report praises the\npotential of the voluntary resettlement agencies and\nchastises the ability of the Administration to work\neffectively with them.\nIATF: It is fair to say that initially the Volags\nwere unhappy with the guidance and limited planning that we\nFORD & LIBRARY 076830\n- 3 -\nwere able to offer to them. This was due, by and large,\nto the tragic and rapid unfolding of events in Vietnam.\nHowever, once the Task Force began organizing and became\nfully operational, one of the first priorities was close\nregular liaison with the Volags; in fact, senior Task\nForce officials are in constant communication with the\nVolags through regular meetings and through daily telephone\ncalls and visits. The principal officials of these agencies\nhave told us they have never enjoyed such close cooperation\nwith the Federal Government as on this issue.\n7. Systematic Registration Procedures. The report also\ncriticizes the failure of the Task Force from the outset\nto have uniform registration and data collection procedures.\nIATF: Initially, this was a problem due to the crisis\nnature of the operation. Now all procedures are uniform\nand a major compatible data collection process is in\noperation.\n8. Reimburse State and Local Governments for Refugee\nExpenses. The Report states that a clarification of\nHEW reimbursement policy is long-overdue.\nIATF: In Congressional testimony and communications\nto Governors and State Welfare Agencies, the broad guidelines\nfor reimbursement have been explained. HEW will issue\nregulations on reimbursement this week.\n9. Training Programs for Refugees. The report charges\n\"indecision of the Task Force and bureaucratic roadblocks\"\nimpeding the development of training programs.\nIATF: English language and orientation classes are\noffered at each reception center. Training materials are\nbeing developed for school systems; HEW has made excellent\nprogress in registering health professionals to ensure\nskills training and licensure.\n10. Public Information on Refugees. The Report states that\nthe President's Advisory Committee on Refugees should\nimmediately launch a public information- program.\nIATF: The Committee already has established this as\na high priority.\nGERALD FORD LIBRAR\n- 4 -\nTwo other recommendations which are outside the\nIATF's responsibility relate to the need for the President\nto establish diplomatic relations with Hanoi, Saigon and\nPhnom Penh and to offer them humanitarian assistance.\nIn general, we think the report is slanderous,\nbased on false premises, contains more rhetoric than fact\nand is a disservice to the thousands of military, civilian\nand volunteer personnel who have dedicated extraordinarly\nlong hours in the last seven weeks to ensure the effective\nmovement and processing of the refugees to their new homes.\nGERALD Be FORD FIBRARY\nJune 9, 1975\nIndochina Refugee Resettlement\nStatistical Fact Sheet\nTotal Number of Refugees\n131,252\nNumber of Refugees in Overseas\nSites: Guam, Wake, Clark Air\nForce Base, Subic Bay, Thailand\n41,022\nNumber of Refugees in Stateside\nReception Centers or Enroute by\nAir\n59,177\nNumber of Refugees Released to Third\nCountries\n3,459\nNumber of Refugees Resettled into\nAmerican Communities\n26,935\nNumber of Refugees Released from\nReception Centers within last 24 Hours\n839\nFORD is LIBRARY 076835\nTASK FORCE STATEMENT RELEASED LAST NIGHT, SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 1975\nThe Interagency Task Force has not yet received a courtesy copy of the\nSenate Judiciary Committee's report and is thus unable to discuss it in\ndetail. The seven weeks of our existence have not been without problems\nof course but the cooperation of the military and civilian departments of\nthe Federal government, of the voluntary agencies and the private sector\nand of the Congress has permitted an unprecedented undertaking in so\nbrief a time.\nToday, seven weeks after the inception of the Task Force more than\n130, 000 human beings who very recently were fleeing for their lives\ncan look forward to their new ones with confidence because of the\nunceasing efforts of the dedicated Americans who are engaged in the\ntruly monumental resettlement task. While there continues to be ways\nin which we can improve a program which was developed under crisis\nconditions, we are satisfied now that the fundamental aspects of the\nprogram are sound, coordination with resettlement voluntary agencies\nis effective, and channels of communications are open to all who wish\nto use them.\n#\n#\n#\nFORD : LIBRARY 07V839"
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