ABSTRACT
By an interesting coincidence, at the very moment of the constitutional bicentennial, US refugee policy became almost as controversial as it was at the Founding. Refugee policy is unavoidably political because it involves choices, and these can only be made according to political criteria; in the face of attempts to promote neutrality, one might invoke the French adage, "Chassez le naturel, il revient au galop." The flow of religious refugees ceased as western Europe became more tolerant with respect to religion. The refugee flows triggered by the revolutionary conflicts of the late eighteenth century differed significantly from the classic type in that the repression was directed against individuals deemed undesirable or dangerous because of their political opinion. International efforts to deal with refugees were once again launched on an ad hoc basis but with some advance planning and a more comprehensive scope, encompassing material as well as legal needs.
