BRIEFING OF SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R002100020003-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 30, 2006
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: May 31, 1978
• Content Type: MFR

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Approved For Release 2006/11/01 M00980R002100020003-4
OLC 78-0357/18
31 May 1978
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Briefing of Senior Members of the House Judiciary Committee
1. I called Doris Meissner, Deputy to the Associate Attorney 25x1
General is ael Egan, of the Department of Justice, and Shep Lohman, Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State for Humanitarian Affairs, and cleared the Agency's
background briefing on the refugee situation in Vietnam requested today by
Jim Cline, Staff Director, for the House Judiciary Committee Members Joshua
Eilberg (D., Pa.), Hamilton Fish, Jr. (R., N.Y.) and Robert McClory (R., Ill.)
to be held this afternoon. The briefing was requested for background information
to consider the Attorney General's proposal to parole 25,000 additional refugees
from Vietnam .
2. IIMeissner and Lohman recognized that the Agency would have to25x1
provide such a briefing particularly in view of the strong press play to the
ethnic Chinese problem in Vietnam over last weekend. I explained the thrust
of the briefing and they felt they could handle any of the questions which the
Members might raise when they meet with them tomorrow morning. They
asked that I pass on to them anything significant which the Members might
raise during the briefing to prepare them for tomorrow's meeting. Meissner
pointed out that Eilberg, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration,
Citizenship and International Law, and Chairman James O. Eastland (D., Miss.),
Senate Judiciary Committee, have been opposed to a large entry of Vietnamese
refugees into the United States. For this reason, the Administration is submitting
a package deal to the Congress to include refugees from Vietnam, Latin America,
and Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union.
3. I Ms. Meissner said the refugee situation in Vietnam would be 25x1
covered by Lohman. She said that though the Attorney General does have
the ultimate authority to parole refugees, he does consult with the Judiciary
Committee before making any final decisions. In this instance, the additional
25,000 refugees would be drawn from those now in refugee camps in Southeast
Asia. She added that the Administration undoubtedly would be opposed to accepting
large numbers of ethnic Chinese who choose to leave Vietnam due to the
nationalization of industries ordered in March.
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4. Lohman said he was knowledgeable of the refugee situation in 25x1
Vietnd ii. fie did ask if I knew what prompted the e~hnic Chinese in North
Vietnam to leave the county . After checking with Chief of the
ranch, DDO, I called Lohman back and informed
him that the main reasons were the nationalization and resettlement orders
which were issued in March.
5.he briefing of Representatives Eilberg, Fish and McClory was held
in Room 28 of the Capitol from 4:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. and was given by 25x1
Als ent were staffers Cline, Skip Endres and Peter Regis.
EUberg pressed approximate the nu the one million ethnic
Chinese in the South who would be refugees. I aid he could not give a
figure; however, he felt that undoubtedly many will choose to leave if the regime
allows them to do so. If they do leave, he doubted that any country in Southeast
Asia would take them. He also said that any that left would have to go by boat.
The Members were negative as to allowing large numbers of ethnic Chinese to
enter the U . S . I told Cline later that we had notified the Attorney General and
State offices that we were requested to brief the Members and that we would
offer no position on the proposal.
6. OAfter the briefing, I called Meissner and Lohman. I alerted them
that the Members will press as to what the Administration's position will be
if a mass exodus of Chinese from Vietnam occurs. Also, they will be pressed
as to who will be included in the 25 , 000 additional refugees and if ethnic Chinese
will be included. I also told them that I had informed Cline that their offices
had been informed of the briefing. Both were appreciative of the information.
Acting ie o0
Distributin
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OLC:PLC:jms (31 May 1978)
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Approved For Release 2006/11/01 : CIA-RDP81M00980R002100020003-4