[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 56 (Thursday, April 22, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E747-E748]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TREATMENT OF FOREIGN VISITORS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 22, 1999

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I have been disturbed by the 
stories which have come to my attention from family and friends of 
constituents and from travelers from abroad, who have complained about 
the standard process for obtaining U.S. nonimmigrant visas. I certainly 
understand the challenge faced by our consulates around the globe in 
considering and processing the immense number of visa applications, and 
I recognize that dedicated consular officers serve as the vanguard for 
orderly and legal transit across our borders. Coupled with the 
responsibilities of customs officers posted at ports of entry, these 
are the public servants who are often the first to offer words of 
welcome to foreign visitors. Some personal accounts that have been 
shared with me, as chairman of the Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights, paint a different picture. Rather than 
words of welcome, the messages are for some ones of harassment and 
seemingly prejudicial treatment.
  One particular collection of incidents is that experienced by my 
friend and fellow parliamentarian, Romanian Member of Parliament Peter 
Dugulescu, who travels with a Diplomatic Passport. When we last met in 
person, I asked that he prepare a written explanation of the 
difficulties which he has faced. The track record of this one man's 
treatment at a combination of ports of entry represents a sad 
commentary on the soiled welcome mat which is sometimes laid out for 
our visitors. I would hope that greater attention would be given to 
treating our foreign visitors with respect and the dignity deserved by 
each.
  For the record, I would ask that the recent appeal to the President 
made by the Honorable Peter Dugulescu be printed in the Record.

     To: Mr. William Jefferson Clinton--United States President, 
         United States Congress, United States Department of 
         State.
     From: Petru Dugulescu, MP, Committee on Foreign Affairs.

       Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen, I am grateful for the 
     opportunity I have been given to take part in the 1999 
     National Prayer Breakfast. My colleagues and I want to 
     express our gratitude for the relations established between 
     your country and ours, and for continuing to build on this 
     foundation.
       In the spirit that has made United States of America a 
     model country for the world, for its democracy and for the 
     opportunities it gives to its citizens and non-citizens 
     living here, I come before you with my sincere appeal in 
     matters that pertain to further advance the relationship 
     between your country and ours, between your people and the 
     people of Romania. Saddened by the situation, I kindly ask 
     for your attention to this letter and take it in adequate 
     consideration with measures that only you can decide to take 
     as you may see fit.
       Prior to the Romanian Revolution of 1989, because of my 
     admiration for your country, for its social-political system 
     and the religious freedom, for my religious and political 
     beliefs, I have suffered persecution, mistreatment, and was 
     subjected to mockery many times in Romania. Only God kept me 
     and my family alive through the hard times. (Aspects of my 
     persecution have been made known in United States by 
     reputable author Charles Colson in his book ``The Body'') 
     Numerous leaders, such as US representatives; Frank Wolf 
     (VA), Tony Hall (OH), Christopher Smith (NJ), have showed 
     their support and intervened in different ways to the 
     Romanian authorities. Former US Ambassador to Romania, Mr. 
     David Funderburk, has visited our church and my family 
     several times, and continuously showed his support, thus 
     alleviating some of the pain.
       Following the 1989 Romanian Revolution, I have been blessed 
     with an invitation to take part in the 1990 National Prayer 
     Breakfast, as a pastor, together with a Romanian delegation. 
     I have been part of this magnificent event every year. Since 
     1990, I have visited the United States several times for 
     meetings with diplomats and/or social-cultural and religious 
     organizations. My colleagues are looking at me as at someone 
     who truly supports relations with the United States by proven 
     activity. However, I am saddened to say that not all of my 
     visits have been pleasant. This last arrival in your country 
     has been most uncomfortable, to say the least.
       On January 7th 1999, I arrived in the United States with a 
     Visitor's Visa and Diplomatic Passport, on board flight no. 
     120 (Route: Bucharest-Zurich-Atlanta) of Swissair, at 
     Atlanta's International Airport, around 2:00 p.m. Upon the 
     U.S. Immigration inspection service, I was asked by a female 
     officer of the U.S. Customs if I was from Romania. As a 
     result of my positive answer, she asked me to open my luggage 
     and they started taking my personal belongings out in the 
     open while laughing. When I saw the scene caused by this 
     incident, I asked kindly to see what they were looking for. 
     ``Food'', they replied. I told them I didn't have any. 
     However, they continued to do the same thing. When they were 
     done emptying my luggage, I started collecting my pajamas and 
     other belongings attempting to pack as people were looking at 
     me as to a criminal who just got caught smuggling something 
     illegal into the United States. I can't explain my hurt and 
     embarrassment caused by these officers who continued to joke. 
     When they asked me what I was coming to the States for, I 
     told them that I was invited to attend the National Prayer 
     Breakfast with their President. They laughed again. I showed 
     them the Diplomatic Passport and the invitation, which 
     prompted them to laugh even harder and said: ``Send our 
     greetings to Bill Clinton from us, Tom & Jerry''. . . . I was 
     shocked by their arrogance.
       Of all the custom inspection services in the world, this 
     should have been the most painless and most comfortable, 
     especially since I did not break the law in any way. If a 
     U.S. citizen travelling to Romania would be subjected to such 
     humiliation and mockery, would probably say that Romanians 
     are barbarians and the country is still communist. I honestly 
     hope that you can imagine my frustration.
       The fact is that this incident with the opening and 
     emptying of luggages in customs was not a first. In September 
     1996, at the International Airport in Portland, Oregon, I had 
     another similar experience. Other colleagues and 
     acquaintances have told me their experiences as well, leading 
     me to the conclusion that some measures must be taken.
       What is the conception or the mentality of the U.S. Customs 
     Officers pertaining to us Romanians who come in the United 
     States as visitors? Why are we treated as 2nd class citizens 
     (or even worse)? Why can't we feel welcomed into this great 
     democratic country? Why are we Romanians different than other 
     travellers? Or, if not considered different, then why are we 
     treated differently?

[[Page E748]]

     As a representative of Romanian people both in the Romanian 
     Government and abroad in foreign relations, it is my duty to 
     ask these questions and kindly appeal for your intervention 
     to the proper departments in order to insure that the image 
     United States is portraying to the Romanian tourists is a 
     better one.
       Another great concern that I have pertaining to travelling 
     in the United States is the procedure that the U.S. 
     Department of State has established for Romanian applicants 
     for visitor's visas. I have raised this issue in 
     conversations with U.S. Ambassador to Romania James Rosapepe 
     and the U.S. Consul, Mr. Patterson, and was told that my 
     concern was not uncommon but unfortunately procedures are set 
     in Washington DC.
       An application for a visitor's visa, which is, in fact, an 
     interview tax, costs $45. Apart the fact that the applicant 
     must demonstrate ``strong ties'' to the origin country and, 
     therefore, for the U.S. Embassy to avoid the danger of a new 
     immigrant, (demonstration that is not always taken into 
     consideration on a consistent criteria basis), the applicant 
     has to pay for the visa, for the travel to Bucharest in order 
     to give an interview with the Consul, interview which occurs 
     only 1 or 2 out of 10 applications, the rest being just 
     useless conversations with some desk officer at the U.S. 
     Consulate. A simple arithmetic shows that the applicant pays 
     sometimes his or her monthly salary (an average salary in 
     Romania is about $120/month) just to learn that he or she has 
     been rejected and thus is not allowed to travel to the U.S.
       Should I mention to you also that rejected applicants never 
     get back their money? Or is there a way to make money out of 
     the sincere and legitimate desire of Romanians to travel to 
     the U.S.? And when taking into consideration the original if 
     not strange technique of the ``visa lottery'', one could 
     picture a very commercial way to observe the universal right 
     to free travel and circulation of any citizen of the world. I 
     strongly believe that principles are to be observed not only 
     by declarations, but also by facts. And people can feel the 
     difference. I remember a demonstration in front of the U.S. 
     Embassy when people were carrying slogans like: ``The 
     Berlin's walls were moved to the U.S. Embassy''.
       Few years ago, talking to the U.S. consul in Bucharest 
     about visa issues, I told him that the U.S. Government was 
     accusing Ceausescu about restraining the Romanian's right to 
     travel free and he replied that ``traveling to America is not 
     a right, but a privilege''.
       U.S. citizens come to Romania without applying for a visa, 
     nor paying for one (unless they stay longer than 30 days). I 
     strongly believe that in the spirit of democracy, The United 
     States Department should take measures to waive 
     discriminating treatment and to envisage a reciprocal one.
       As an advocate for the democratic system of United States 
     who has not given up under the pressure of communism, I come 
     before you urging you to take this appeal in consideration. 
     People of Romania are not 2nd class citizens, they are not 
     beggars, nor criminals. We have our dignity and would like to 
     be treated accordingly. We look up to the United States, to 
     Americans, to anything that carrys a label ``made in 
     America'' with open heart. Romanians want to be part of NATO 
     and part of the Western culture, however, aspects of life 
     such as ones mentioned here are making us believe that we are 
     not welcomed. We are treated sometimes as we are not good 
     enough to be worth a chance.
       I close this appeal by saying that I will continue to 
     believe and to preach the model of democracy that United 
     States offers to the world, while believing that these things 
     are going to be dealt with properly.
       I thank you all for listening or reading this letter, for 
     understanding our feelings and for taking action.
           Respectfully yours.

           

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