Speech #640151577

It was necessary for us to employ a special force on our borders. Now. gentlemen. this fund. ranging over $10.000.000 more than it has cost the Government to maintain it. the legitimate aliens coining to this country having paid that amount into the Treasury of the United Statesand here comes this great department. that desires to keep out those who are undesirable citizens. keeping out the criminals. prostitutes. and pimps and the most undesirable class of people. They have them arrested. and some of them are deported at the present time. And I know that the great Committee on Appropriations. composed of these good. men. do not want to cripple this service. and they ought to have this $200.000 to make it complete. to enforce the law so that this criminal class may be kept out. and that when they are apprehended in this country they might be arrested and returned to the country from which they came. Two million six hundred and fifty thousand dollars is what has been estimated as necessary to maintain the Immigration Service for the ensuing fiscal year. The Committee on Appropriations has recommended only $2.450.000. a :decrease of $200.000. It is absolutely necessary that the $200.000 which has been cut out be restored for the following reasons: (1) Immigration via the Atlantic ports. which are the most affected by the European war. is on the increase. and the prospects are that the total for the next fiscal year will be materially in excess of that of the fiscal year 1915. from present indications it may double in volume. (2) There has been an increased immigration at all Pacific coast ports. (3) Canadian border: Since the outbreak of the European war thousands of aliens In Canada. who were subjects of Governments with which Great Britain is now at war. have been seeking to cross the border into the United Stdtes. in most cases surreptitiously. The smuggling of contraband Chinese is also active. The registered Immigration -over the Canadian border line in the last fiscal year was 90.000. in round numbers. and rate of increase for the -irst 10 months of this year indicates that ithe increase will -bring the figures above the 100.000 limit. (4) Mexican border.: In view of the Mexican situation. additional officers and guards are necessary to handle the cases of diseased aliens and refugees. many of whom :are entering the United States surreptitiously. the present force being insufficient to properly look after the work. (5) There has been no .cessation of work at the interior stations. as warrant proceedings have been instituted in the cases of several thousand aliens who can not now be deported because of war conditions. and their cases are being placed in shape for final action so that deportation may be made effective as soon as conditions permit. (16) Employment work: There has been increased activity in connection with the employment work authorized by section 40 of the immigration act. and this must be curtailed and perhaps abandoned altogether unless additional funds can be obtained. (7) Furloughs: During the first four months of the present fiscal year it was necessary to furlough a large number of employees in the Immigration Service in order to prevent a deficiency. and it is obvious that unless the additional $200.000 for which request is made -is restored. it will become necessary early :during the coming fiscal year to resume furloughs. It is apparent that to do so will have a very destructive effect on the morale of the service and prove extremly embarrassing. Not only that. but the effect -of furloughing resulted In the loss of some of the best immigration officers. because they were able to get steady .employment either in civil life or in other departments .of -the Government at the compensation they were then receiving from the Immigration Service. and in some instances more. (8) The Immigration Service. except during the European war. has been selfsupporting. but when considered In connection with the service commencing at the time of the inauguration of the per capita tax on immigrants. it has yielded a net surplus revenue over all expenses of $10.000.000 in round numbers. There has been no cessation of work at the interior stations. as warrant proceedings have been instituted In the cases of several thousand aliens who can not now be deported because of war conditions. and their cases are being placed in shape for final action so that deportation may be made -effective as soon as conditions permit. As shown in the statement. immigration for the Pacific ports is on the increase and the conditions along the border have rendered necessary greater expenditures than ever before in order to keep this country from being flooded with undesirable aliens of all classes.