It is without doubt the most ingenious idea that has been presented for the purpose of so loading this bill and making it impracticable as to defeat its purpose. I will say to the gentleman from Alabama that it is highly desirable to obtain the information which he seeks. but I can assure him he will not get accurate information by seeking to ascertain the legality of aliens who are in the United States through census enumerators. I will leave it to any man who has had any experience in the matter of immigration to say whether there is not great difficulty in ascertaining and determining whether an alien is here unlawfully or not. If the amendment offered by the gentleman from Alabama is adopted. it means that every census enumerator will be constituted into a court of special inquiry under the immigration act to ascertain whether or not an alien is here lawfullywhether he comes under the act of 1917 or the act of 1921. or whether he arrived prior to 1924. whether he is a deserting seaman and how he entered the United Statesfor all these facts are factors in determining his right or status in the United States. What we should do is. through the Committee on Immigration. to authorize an appropriation and have experienced men in the Immigration Service make a special investigation. Now. gentlemen. suppose a census enumerator asks an alien who is here unlawfully. "Are you here lawfully?" And he says. "Why. according to my judgment. I am. yes." What are you going to do about it?
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration