Speech #710094701

: The Treasury has been considering for some time the creation of a unified border patrol. in order that the execution of the cutoms. immigration. prohibition. and other laws regulating or prohibiting the entry into the United States of persons and merchandise may be made more effective. The following recommendations are submitted for your consideration and transmission to the Congress if you approvd: (1) The entry into the United States of all persons should be prohibited except at points of entry designated by the President. (2) The present number of points of entry should be Increased sufficiently to permit uninterrupted and unhampered intercourse with our neighboring countries over established and customary routes. (3) A unified border patrol should be created to patrol the border and prevent illegal entry. (4) The unified border patrol should be a part of the Coast Guard. A specific statutory prohibition of entry into the United States of either aliens or citizens. in any manner and with or without merchandise. except at designated points. is essential as. a basis If the border patrol is to function efficiently. since it will give the patrol a plain and simple rule to enforce. and relieve them of any necessity of interpreting and applying the customs. immigration. and other laws. Customs. immigration. quarantine. and other officers will be stationed at the designated points of entry and the administration of the laws at these points should remain. of course. under the jurisdiction of the present services. The points of entry should be designated by the President. just as ports of entry are now designated. They should be established at the boundary intersection of all established and customary routes and wherever intercourse with our neighboring countries justifies. lexibility is essential in order to permit an increase in the points of entry conformably with the growth of commerce and travel. and in order to meet seasonal necessities and constantly changing conditions. There should be a substantial increase. rather than a decrease. in the present number of customs and immigration stations. It Is believed tlat the proposed plan will promote materially the convenience of the traveling public. as well as relieve those traveling on inland highways from inspection. Today. generally speaking. travelers may enter the United States anywhere. but must report at a customhouse. which may well be entirely out of their line of travel. and declare and enter their merchandise. Moreover. our present patrol must necessarily be maintained on interior roads and not along the border. with the consequent necessity of stopping vehicles and pedestrians who may never have left the country. Adequate provision should. of course. be made by regulation so as to meet ihe needs of farmers and others whose property extends across the border or who are living along the border. The unified border patrol should be charged with the enforcement of the statutory prohibition. that is. it should be charged with the duty of guarding the border between the designated points and preventing entry of all persons and merchandise. over the land and water borders. except at the points of entry specified. where the usual customs. immigration. quarantine. and other officers will be stationed. The proposed unified border patrol will replace the patrols now maintaibed by both the Customs Service and the Immigration Service on our Mexican and Canadian boundaries and will cover the same territory as those patrols. thus complementing the work of the Coast Guard on the maritime boundaries. eliminating duplication of effort. concentrating responsibility for the protection of all our borders. and bringing about a more effective coordination of the work. Preliminary surveys have established the practicability of the plan. An actual physical examination of our entire border. however. will be necessary prior to the final designation of points of entry or the closing of trails and untraveled roads. The work must be done In harmonious cooperation with our neighboring countries. and their consent obtained as a matter of courtesy. It is believed that at least six months will be required before the new border patrol can be organized and the preliminary work completed. The cost of maintaining the unified border patrol will exceed the present cost of maintaining our customs and immigration patrols. and additional Immigration and customs stations will be required. Surveys upon which estimates of the increased costs can be based are under way and should soon be completed. Very sincerely.