Speech #710091980

R. 5648. under which bill I have provided for a socalled "family quota." This family quota is to be a single quota issued to an applicant. his wife or husband and children under the age of 21. A quota number issued to such a family shall be sufficient to enable the members of the family covered thereby coming to this country thereafter. provided the other members of the family enter this country within one year from the date of the issuance of such a quota number. Such a quota number will prevent families from separating and will lay down a new policy for this country in the administration of Its immigration laws. to the effect that where a person has once been lawfully adnitted into the United States. he can properly bring his family in. It will make it unnecessary for any such person to claim preference under the existing laws or to subject him to the tedious routine of filing many unnecessary papers with our immigration officials or our consuls for the purpose of bringing the family together. I believe that this House should give this matter its full and undivided attention. and I am urging the committee to which this bill was referred. to give it a thorough study. I believe that this bill will result in a more thoroughgoing administration of our immigration laws and will help immigrants lawfully admitted to this country to determine at once whether or not they intend to stay here with their families and become Americans or whether they would rather return abroad. The House will observe that this family quota only applies to men and women who desire to make this country their permanent home. If they find that they want to go back to their native countries. any quota number theretofore issued automatically debars the family of such an alien. We want citizenship based on home ties and If the alien will have his family in this country. he will surely have more of a stimulus to work for its welfare and contribute to its upbuilding. I urge upon the Congress a thorough study of this bill. as well as the other bills which I have outlined. and I hope that when the purport of the measures introduced by me will become generally known and Its merits thoroughly examined. the House will agree with me that the bills introduced by me will bring about a fairer. more humane. and more intelligent administration of our Immigration laws and will relieve a great deal of hardship under which our aliens now suffer and permit the uniting of aliens families wherever lawfully admitted to work for the welfare of their adopted country in a spirit of love for our institutions. H. R. 7703 I have also Introduced a bill known as H. R. 7703. which deals with another important aspect of the immigration law. It often happens that a person admitted to this country as a visitor or as a consular offlicer or as a member of a diplomatic corps of some other nation marries an American citizen and thereby becomes eligible for admission to this country. either as a nonquota or as a preferred immigrant. In all such cases It is necessary that such an alien leave this country. be readmitted. to wit. from abroad. No valid reason exists why this should be necessary and why an alien who is entitled to admission as a nonquota immigrant or as a preferred Irmmigrant and who is In this country at the present time should have to leave this country to enter it. This bill provides that where any person has been admitted to this country under section 3 of the immigration act of 1924 and has become eligible for admission under some other section of the act. he may remain in this country and that the Secretary of Labor shall provide a method by which he could obtain the necessary visa without application made therefor to an American consul abroad.