In 1996, powerful anti-immigrant forces in Newt Gingrich's 104th Congress worked hard to pass the most restrictive immigration laws in decades. The new law has changed virtually every aspect of immmigration policy, including the rules for political and religious refugees. However, the law is not as harsh as the chairmen of the immigration committees would have wanted. This is a case study of the legislative process and the author's experiences as a public interest lobbyist. It tells how a coalition of human rights and refugee organizations fought to preserve the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.
