The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TREATMENT OF FOREIGN VISITORS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E747-E748 on April 22, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
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? 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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