Reagan Accused of Refusing to Spend Funds for Refugees

The Reagan Administration has violated a federal law by refusing to spend $11.5 million Congress appropriated for aid to California and other states with large numbers of Latin and Asian refugees, the General Accounting Office said today.

The GAO said the Office of Management and Budget should have released the money during the current fiscal year, which ends Monday. The funds will revert to the Treasury on Tuesday.

Release of the money has been sought chiefly by the congressional delegation from California.

“This illegal impoundment is just another in a series of the Reagan Administration’s attempts to renege on the federal responsibility toward those whom the federal government has granted refuge in the United States,” said Rep. Don Edwards (D-San Jose).

Rep. Richard H. Lehman (D-Sanger) said OMB had tried before to cut the program. “Now they have circumvented the law in their efforts and have been caught red-handed,” he said.