Independent in Long Beach, California

Senate study outlines plight of Southeast Asian refugees

A Senate subcommittee report finds about 131,000 Southeast Asian refugees came to the United States in the year after communist takeovers, with unemployment and underemployment rising, frustration spreading, and many relocating from the East and Midwest to the southern and southwestern states. It cites language barriers and job skills gaps as key causes, and urges further federal action, trade with Vietnam, and diplomatic efforts to improve refugee resettlement.