Speech #590183042

These changes strengthen and simplify the law. which was heretofore somewhat vague. In section 19 the words "or shall make any charge for the return of any such alien. or shall take any security frot him for the payment of ally such charge." are aimed.at preventing steamship colnpanies from bringing aliens to this country. knowing such aliens to be inadmissible. but protecting themselves by taking security on the other side. so that the return passage is paid. the steamship companies thus actually profiting by. bringing to this country people who they know will be sent back. The changes in this section also permit the suspension of the deportation of any alien whose testimony is required in any prosecution for a violation of the immigration law. In the interest of humanity the section has been amended so as to permit an alien suffering from tuberculosis. or from a loathsome or dangerous contagious disease. to be sent to a hospital. if the express permission of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor is obtained. The proviso at the end of the section also permits the detention of an insane alien whose health and safety will be imperiled by immediate deportation. The changes in section 20 extend the time within which an alien who becomes a public charge. whether from causes existing prior to landing. may be deported. from two to three years. and puts onehalf of the entire cost of removal to the port of deportation upon the contractor. procurer. or other person inducing the alien to enter the United States. and if that can not be done. then the cost of removal to the port of deportation shall be at the expense of the immigration fund and at the expense of the steamship company from there on. Section 21 permits the deportation of any alien. subject to deportation. at any time within three years. and in the proviso at the end of the section is added the humane provision for the employment of a person at the expense of the immigration fund. to accompany an insane or sick alien back to the place from which he or she came. In section 22 the addition of the words "and also surgeons in accordance with the provision of section 17 " enables us to send surgeons to countries where an inspection by them of aliens prior to sailing will be permitted. This will save thousands of aliens. suffering from diseases which would bar them from entry. from taking the voyage. and will save many more thousands from the danger of infection or contagion from such immigrants during the voyage. The system is now. with the consent of the Italian Government. in use in various ports in Italy. and is giving great satisfaction. In section 24 the appropriation of the lump sum of $50.000 for the enforcement of the contractlabor law was. in the judgment of the conferees. the only i\vay which could be devised of enforcing the contractlabor law. It is presumed that the Secretary of Commerce and Labor will. from this fund. employ detectives who will be absolutely unknown to everyone connected with the immigration service. and who will be able. by traveling to and fro on the ships. to obtain evidence as to contract laborers. In section 25 the words "which shall be rendered solely upon the evidence adduced before the board of special inquiry " enact into law a recent regulation of the Department. which supersedes the former bad practice of receiving additional evidence on appeal. As the law now is. if new evidence is discovered after the taking of the appeal the case is sent back to the original board of inquiry. which thus acts both upon the old and the new evidence. Section 26 permits for the first time the giving of a legal bond in the case of any alien liable to be excluded because likely to become a public charge or because of physical disability from tuberculosis or loathsome. contagious disease. and otherwise admissible. There are thousands of cases in which it is practically impossible to separate families by deporting one or more members of the family who are liable to become public charges. Under this bond section the Govermnent can now secure itself. The section provides for the giving of a Iond which can be enforced.