Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXII, Southeast Asia and the Pacific

113. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to Secretary of State Vance¹

Washington, July 15, 1977

SUBJECT

• Indochinese Refugees

The President has authorized you to request the Attorney General to exercise his parole authority to admit 15,000 Indochinese refugees in 1977–1978.²

In addition, the President has instructed State to chair an interagency task force with OMB, Labor, Justice, HEW, NSC, and the Domestic Council to develop a longer-term program for dealing with the Indochinese refugee problem.

With respect to the provision of benefits to the 15,000, the President has decided to defer an announcement until he receives the OMB proposal on welfare policy toward the existing 150,000 refugees.

Given the Congressional interest in this matter, we should begin consultation, based on the President’s decisions, immediately.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron File, Box 19, Indochina. Secret.
2. On August 11, the Justice Department announced that the Attorney General had authorized the entry into the United States of 15,000 additional Indochinese refugees. (“U.S. to Receive 15,000 Refugees,” Washington Post, August 12, 1977, p. A22)