Meanwhile, officials are increasingly worried about the prospect that Soviet refugees could swarm across the border in search of food.

At the very least, hundreds of thousands of Soviet refugees would pour across their borders.

The new policy resembles one adopted earlier this year to limit the admission of Soviet refugees, but it is much more restrictive.

The United States now accepts 50,000 Soviet refugees a year.

The Administration says that with the shift it can control the flow of Soviet refugees more effectively.

This year, it expects to resettle 15,000 Soviet refugees, with a staff of 170 and a budget of $25 million.

The Administration also set a ceiling of 50,000 on the number of Soviet refugees in the coming year.

Jewish and Christian organizations provided funds for another 10,000 Soviet refugees last year.

Soviet refugees could go there for medical examinations, counseling and resettlement assistance.

He said he expected 17,500 Soviet refugees would seek resettlement in the city this year.