Speech #700098235

I would even go further. I would give a nonquota status to those minor children living abroad of aliens who have been legally admitted to the United States and who have filed their declarations of intention to become American citizens. In many instances immigrants legally in the United States. some of them having filed their declarations of intention to Docome citizens. have appealed to me to assist in bringing their minor children here to join the family group in their established home. The only answer I could give those people was that their children would have to make application in the regular way at the American consulates abroad and come under the quota allowance. which. in most instances. on account of the small quota allowance. meant a wait of long and weary years. I would be in favor of further amending the immigration laws so as to give the Secretary of Labor. or some officer designated by him. certain discretionary powers to meet unusual emergencies which can not otherwise be properly met on account of the strict interpretation of immigration law. I have particularly in mind two pathetic cases in which discretion. if it were authorized. would have relieved a very distressing situation. The first which came to my notice when I assumed office was the case of an alien widow who. with her infant child. came to this country on a visit to near relatives. While here on a visitors visa this alien mother was taken ill and died. Under the technical interpretation of the quota immigration law the motherless infant could not remain here with its blood relatives but was compelled to return to its native land. the same as an adult alien. Within the past few days an appeal was made to me by a young woman. a naturalized citizen. to procure permission to bring her infant sister to live with her. the widowed mother having died. leaving this little sister alone. Under the present law there was no provision whereby this child could be admitted to the United States. even temporarily. as she was under the age that she might be admitted for educational purposes. I can not believe that anyone. not even the strongest advocate of total restriction of immigration. in circumstances as in the cases cited. would or could object to a provision in the immigration law that would give to the proper officials some discretionary powers to take care of such an emergency. The adoption of the amendments suggested would not seriously affect the quota provisions of the present law . it would be merely granting to our own adopted citizens the benefit of humane provisions and commonsense interpretation of the quota law. In conclusion. I sincerely hope that before adjournment of the Seventieth Congress some remedial and humane legislation will be enacted so that the many hardships now imposed under the quota immigration law will be partially. at least. eliminated.