[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 38 (Monday, September 23, 2002)]
[Pages 1578-1579]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Memorandum on FY 2003 Refugee Admissions Consultations

September 17, 2002

Memorandum for the Secretary of State

Subject: FY 2003 Refugee Admissions Consultations

    In accordance with section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (INA), you are authorized to consult with the appropriate committees 
of the Congress concerning refugee admissions as follows:
 1.          The authorization of 70,000 refugee admissions during FY 
            2003, to be allocated by specific region as follows:

  Africa......................................................    20,000
  East Asia (including Amerasians)............................     4,000
  Latin America/Caribbean.....................................     2,500
  Near East/South Asia........................................     7,000
  Former Soviet Union.........................................    14,000
  Eastern Europe..............................................     2,500
  Unallocated Reserve.........................................    20,000
 

 2.          The authorization of an additional 10,000 refugee 
            admissions numbers to be made available for the adjustment 
            to permanent resident status of persons who have been 
            granted asylum in the United States;
 3.          The designation, pursuant to section 101(a)(42)(B) of the 
            INA, of persons in Cuba, Vietnam, and the former Soviet 
            Union, who, if they otherwise qualify for admission as 
            refugees, may be considered refugees under the INA even 
            though they are still within their country of nationality or 
            habitual residence.
                                                George W. Bush

[[Page 1579]]

Note: This memorandum was released by the Office of the Press Secretary 
on September 19.