From the Vietnam News Briefs

VIETNAM NEWS BRIEFS,
January 23, 2008

The U.S. and Vietnam Tuesday [January 23] signed a memorandum of understanding under which any Vietnamese who have entered the U.S. illegally since the officially normalized relationship between the two countries in July 1995 are now facing deportation for their home country, state media said Wednesday.

US Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement Julie Myers and Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Dao Viet Trung signed the MOU in Hano

"Agreements such as this are the building blocks of diplomacy," said Myers

"This agreement allows us to carry out a judge's order to remove individuals from our country in a safe and humane manner." Julie Myers also said about the 6,200 Vietnamese that had been given final deportation orders before the agreement's completion, and an additional 1,500 are involved in proceedings to eventually be sent back to their homeland.

However, she did not disclose the number of illegal Vietnamese immigrants in the U.S. now

The repatriation agreement provides steps for the ex-foe to deport any illegal Vietnamese citizens who lack required documents, and for Vietnam to receive them.

An increasing number of Vietnamese immigrants are trying to enter the U.S., hoping to live the "American dream", via fake documents and marriages, observers said
To make a fake marriage with a U.S. citizen, they are ready to pay $30,000-$40,000, state media said.

Many fled their native country in boats after the northern communist Vietnam took over the former South Vietnam in 1975. So far there are more than three million Vietnamese living abroad, half of them in the US and making up the largest population of overseas Vietnamese

The government of Vietnam has recently started exempted visas for overseas Vietnamese, particularly intellectuals, who are also allowed to own houses in the homeland. (Pioneer, Young People Jan 23) Copyright 2008 Vietnam News Briefs