Refugee Act Reauthorization: Admissions and Resettlement Issues [November 22, 1983]   [open pdf - 1MB]

"The Refugee Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-212; 94 Stat. 102) was enacted Mar. 17, 1980, as a major amendment to the basic U.S. immigration law, the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended (8 U.S.C. 1101, et seq.). The Refugee Act has two basic purposes: (1) to provide a procedure for the annual admission of refugees into the United States, and for their admission in emergency situations; and (2) to authorize Federal assistance to resettle refugees admitted to the United States and to promote their self-sufficiency. The intent of the legislation was to end an ad hoc approach to refugee admissions and resettlement that had characterized U.S. refugee policy since World War II."